Volume 5 Issue 52

Petrobras Group II Plant Plans Progress

Petrobras chose a concept on Dec. 22 for the base oil and fuel production units of its GasLub hub in Itaborai, Brazil, and gave the go-ahead for detailed engineering studies of those aspects of the facility. The base oil plant would include catalytic hydrocracking, hydrotreating and hydrogen isomerization dewaxing units.

EPA Tightens Heavy-duty Emissions Caps

United States President Joe Biden’s administration published a final rule last week tightening caps on heavy-duty truck emissions of nitrous oxides. The regulations could affect formulation of lubricants used in heavy-duty internal combustion engines by requiring increased compatibility with NOx control technologies.

Shell Acquires Lubrication Systems Firm

Shell, through its subsidiary Pennzoil-Quaker State, acquired the parent company of Allied Reliability Inc., an industrial services and maintenance products provider which also provides lubrication systems and components, the company announced last week. The move expands Shell’s North American lubricants business into a more service-driven sector.

From Other Editions of Lube Report

Russian Base Oil Exports Said to Be Down

Luberef Completes Stock Offer

ExxonMobil Still Bullish on Group II

Briefly Noted

New-vehicle sales in December in the United States are expected to reach 1.3 million units, up nearly 4% from the same month last year, Cox Automotive reported today. Full-year sales in 2022, based on vehicle counts by Kelley Blue Book, are forecast to finish near 13.9 million units, an 8% decrease from 2021 and the lowest level since 12.7 million in 2011.