Shell Lubricants was the world’s largest finished-lubricants supplier in 2025 for the 20th consecutive year, according to U.S.-based industry consultancy Kline & Co.
In its latest Global Lubricants: Market Analysis and Assessment, Kline ranks suppliers by finished-lubricant sales volumes across automotive and industrial markets. Shell was top across consumer automotive, commercial automotive and industrial lubricants. The company sells lubricants in about 175 markets.
Shell reported lubricant sales of 85,000 barrels per day in 2025, up from 82,000 b/d in 2024, according to the company’s annual report. Sales were spread across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, with Asia accounting for almost half at 44,000 b/d, followed by the Americas at 23,000 b/d, Europe at 15,000 b/d and Africa at 3,000 b/d.
Shell’s lubricants supply chain includes 31 blending plants, four base-oil plants and five GTL base-oil storage hubs. The company operates one of its four base-oil plants, while its Pearl GTL operation in Qatar supplies synthetic base oils to Shell’s global blending network.
Pearl GTL is the world’s largest gas-to-liquids plant. When fully operational, it can process up to 1.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day and produces a range of GTL products, including synthetic base oils, with base-oil capacity of about 30,000 b/d.
An attack on Ras Laffan in March 2026 damaged one of Pearl GTL’s two production trains. Shell subsequently halted production while it assessed the damage. Shell said the damaged train was expected to remain out of service until the first quarter of 2027.