Hyundai and Shell Base Oil Co. announced the opening of its API Group II plant in Daesan, South Korea, on Sept. 25.

Shanghai-based DongHao Oil Group announced yesterday it entered a debt reconstruction agreement that it hopes will be its first step toward exiting a financial crisis and resuming lubricant production.

Supply fluctuations have overturned the normal order of pricing in Chinas base oil market this year, leading API Group I stocks to cost more than Group IIs and the typical premium for high viscosity oils to nearly disappear.

Russian industrial oils producer Orgkhim plans to build an extender process oils plant in Singapore or Malaysia, the company told Lube Report Asia on Monday.

South Koreas refiners are working to strengthen their lubricant retail networks using a variety of strategies, from a new chain of oil change centers to a mobile phone application for repair shops.