United States base oils production declined 2% in April, compared to the same month last year, a U.S. government agency reported last week.
U.S. base oil production decreased to 4.9 million barrels, down from 5 million barrels in the same month last year, according to U.S. Energy Information Agency data. Sequentially, April’s volume was 5% below 5.1 million barrels in March. The total was the third month with less than 5 million barrels production this year. By contrast, the monthly base oil production total topped 5.2 million barrels every month last year from May through December, except for 4.8 million barrels last November.
Year-to-date through April, base oil production reached 19.2 million barrels, a 7% increase from 18 million barrels in the same period last year.
The 4.1 million barrels of U.S. paraffinic base oil production in April was down 3% year-over year. Sequentially, the paraffinic volume in April was an 8% decrease from 4.4 million barrels in March. From April 2021 through April this year, the monthly paraffinic production volume only fell shy of 4 million barrels in January and February this year.
Paraffinic base oil production this year through the first five months totaled 16.3 million barrels, an 8% increase from 15.1 million barrels.
Naphthenic base oil production was up 2% at 822,000 barrels in April. Sequentially, that volume was an 18% increase from 697,000 barrels in March. The April naphthenic base oil production was the highest since 816,000 barrels in September last year. Year-to-date through May, naphthenic base oil production was virtually unchanged at 3 million barrels.