The United States produced 4.8 million barrels of base oil in November, 11% less than in the same month in 2020, but matched the November 2019 total, according to the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Agency. November was the first time since April 2021 that the production volume fell below 5 million barrels.
Last November’s base oil production was also 8% less than October’s production.
The nation’s base oil production year-to-date through November totaled 55.9 million barrels, an 11% increase from 50.3 million barrels in the same period in 2020 and 1% higher than the 55.5 million barrels total for the first 11 months of 2019.
U.S. production of paraffinic base oils in November declined to 4.1 million barrels, a 13% decrease, but 2% higher than in October 2019. The November total, which was the lowest since 3.7 million barrels in March, was also 10% below October’s 4.5 million barrels.
Year-to-date through November, paraffinic base oil production rose 11% to 47.2 million barrels, a total that was also 2% higher than 46.1 million barrels for the same 11-month period in 2019.
U.S. refiners produced 745,000 barrels of naphthenic base oils in November, a 2% decline and also 9% less than the 819,000 barrels produced in November 2019. The November total, which is the second lowest last year, was 3% more than October’s 721,000 total – the second lowest for a month in 2020, ahead of 608,000 barrels in February.
Through the first 11 months of last year, naphthenic base oil production jumped to 8.8 million barrels, a 17% increase from the same period in 2020, but 7% less than in the same time frame in 2019.