Hormuz Still Choked After Iran Ceasefire

April 13, 2026

Thousands of ships and their crews are stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to traverse the Strait of Hormuz into open waters, after ceasefire talks...

Pearl GTL Train Out of Action Until 2027

April 8, 2026

Shell plc has confirmed that train two at the Pearl GTL facility in Ras Laffan, Qatar sustained damage following attacks on March 18, while train...

Briefly Noted

April 8, 2026

Shanghai Lubricant Trade Association Inks Co-op with Kroneseder Lubricants On March 19, the Shanghai Lubricant Trade Association (SLTA) signed a strategic innovation cooperation agreement with...

Afton Still Core Earner for NewMarket

April 7, 2026

NewMarket, parent of lubricant additive company Afton Chemical Corp., faced profit pressure in 2025 as global demand for additives softened and customers adjusted inventories amid...

Kline: China’s New Economy Pivots Industrial Oil Opportunities

April 7, 2026

China’s lubricants industry has faced significant headwinds since 2020, squeezed by a cooling economy, trade tensions with the U.S. and now the conflict in the...

GM Rebuffs ILMA Plea for Dexos Wiggle Room

April 6, 2026

GM, the largest automaker in the United States by sales, has rejected the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association’s request for relief on Dexos licensing for its...

China Urges Further Production Self-sufficiency

April 1, 2026

China’s base oil imports fell below 1.5 million metric tons in 2025, reaching its lowest point in recent years, declining slightly from 2024 levels, according...

Drone Strikes Disrupt Russian Baltic Export Routes

April 1, 2026

Drone strikes on Russia’s Baltic ports in recent days halted shipments, disrupting export logistics and raising risks for base oil supply chains. Ukrainian drones struck...

Oxea Raises Prices as Feedstock and Energy Costs Surge

April 1, 2026

Oxea has issued eight pricing notifications across five product segments within a four-week period, with cumulative increases on certain lubricant-related raw materials reaching approximately U.S.$700...

Briefly Noted

April 1, 2026

Cummins Approves Valvoline Blue One Solution Gen 2 Blue One Solution Gen 2, the first heavy-duty engine oil approved by enginer maker Cummins, Inc. for...