Vertex Energy Inc. announced today that it has again reached an agreement to sell its Heartland used motor oil collection and recycling business – this time to GFL Environmental, a waste management company, for $90 million. A year ago Vertex backed out of a June 2021 agreement sell those same operations and a Louisiana rerefinery to Clean Harbors.

The United States produced 4.7 million barrels of base oils in November, 3% less than the same month of 2021 and the fourth consecutive month that the volume failed to top 5 million barrels, according to government statistics released today.

Afton Chemical posted operating profit jumps of 188% for the fourth quarter and 35% for the full year, boosted by increased selling prices that overcame rising operating and raw material costs. Sales revenue rose nearly 20% for the fourth quarter and full year.

Due to an editing error, an article in the Jan. 25 issue reported incorrectly that Aramco Trading Co. acquired Motiva Enterprises. In fact, the Aramco entity acquired Motiva Trading, which trades crude oil, feedstocks, refined products and biofuels. Motiva Enterprises remains a separate Aramco affiliate, and its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery and base oil operations were not impacted by the transaction. Motiva will continue marketing those base oils in the Americas under the Aramco brand.