ExxonMobil confirmed that it completed an expansion of its base oil plant at Jurong, Singapore, last quarter. The project further saturates a market that already has surplus capacity, but industry observers said its immediate impact may be muted because the company may be slow to utilize the expansion.

Lube marketer Motul signed an agreement last month to promote its brand through an online racing video game now under development in South Korea.

Although global lubricants demand is consistently flat, ester-based lubricants will grow at an average rate of 6 percent for the next several years, an industry expert predicted.