TotalEnergies has opened a lubricant blending plant on Algeria’s Mediterranean coast to cater to the growing market in that country. The plant, located in Bethioua, in the province of Oran, and has capacity to make 40,000 metric tons per year in a single shift. A spokesperson for the French energy giant said the facility could accommodate an expansion to 100,000 t/y, but officials did not disclose its cost.

A French association of lubricant suppliers this month announced the formation of Cyclevia, a nonprofit organization tasked with helping to increase the portion of used lubricants that are collected and rerefined into base stocks.

France’s finished lubricant consumption declined to 42,319 metric tons in February, a 7% decline from the same month last year, according to data released April 15 by the Paris-based Professional Lubricants Center. The 23,300 tons of automotive lubes consumed in February represented a 3% decrease.