Pertamina said it expects its lubricants will compete in Bangladesh with major lubricants players such as Shell, BP, Castrol, Fuchs, Total, Conoco, Caltex and more than 45 other brands.

In 2001, the Bangladesh lubricant market was liberalized, distribution of non-additized engine oil was banned, and minimum standards of API SC/CC were established, according to Mobil Jamuna Lubricants.

MJLs Mobil brand claimed 26 percent of the market, followed by BP (11 percent), Total (6 percent), Shell and Castrol (each with 2 percent), and others with the remaining 53 percent.

In its announcement, Pertamina said its total finished lubricants sales volumes in 2010, including both domestic and export sales, reached 99,836 kiloliters (about 89,700 tons), increasing 3 percent from 2009. Sales volumes were dominated by semi-synthetic lubricants such as its Prima XP brand whose sales of 24,502 kiloliters in 2010 were up 4 percent from the year earlier.

While sales of its full synthetic lubricants, primarily its Fastron brand, are much smaller at 4,642 kiloliters in 2010, the total was up 286 percent from 2009. The growth occurred because it is supported by after-market sectors as well as OEM businesses such as Toyota, Pertamina said.

The company exports to many countries, including Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Singapore, Taiwan, the Philippines, East Timor, Malaysia, Nepal, Australia, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Nepal and China. Its lubricants are also marketed in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates under the Zipex brand.