Chevron Oronite announced last week the completion of a major expansion at its lubricant additive plant in Singapore. The project increased the facilitys capacity to produce dispersants and, according to Oronite, padded its position as the largest additive plant in Asia.

Bike owners in the world's third-largest motorcycle market make their own decisions about which engine oils to use, and a growing number believe thinner oils are better.

JX Nippon Oil & Energy announced a 50-50 joint venture with Tide Water Oil to manufacture and market lubricants in India.

KH NeoChem said last week that it had completed a 10 percent expansion of 2-ethyl hexanoic acid at its plant in Yokkaichi, Japan. The chemicals are carboxylic acids used in production of synthetic lubricants and other applications.

Singapore plans to strengthen emissions limits for heavy-duty trucks running on petrol, indicating it expects to adopt the Euro V or Euro VI standard by 2017.