U.S. refinery production of base oils reached nearly 60 million barrels in 2010, a 9 percent gain over 2009, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Energy. Total production of paraffinic base oils climbed 8 percent to 49.6 million barrels for the year, after sinking to 45.9 million barrels in 2009. Naphthenic refiners reported an even stronger rebound from their dismal showing of 2009, and pumped out 10.4 million barrels in 2010 – a hearty bounce of 14 percent. Base oil...

LONDON – From a refining perspective, regional fuel demand – gasoline vs. diesel – drives base oil production. But engine manufacturers need global supplies of fungible base oils, so major refiners like Chevron, Neste and SK are expanding. I was an industrial lubricant consumer, but now Im a base oil supplier, Tom Kovar, refinery manager at Chevron Pascagoula Refinery, said with a smile as he stepped to the podium at the ICIS World Base Oils & Lubricants Conference here o...

LONDON – Russian base oil producers have promised 1.3 million metric tons per year of new API Group II and III capacity through 2019, including 590,000 t/y from LukOil and 450,000 t/y from Rosneft, to meet growing demand for higher quality lubricants. LukOil is the leader in every market segment, Maxim Donde, general director of LLK International Lubricants Co., LukOils lubricants arm, told the ICIS World Base Oils & Lubricants Conference here Feb. 24. Our goal is to balance finished...

Quaker Chemicals net sales reached $142.1 million in 2010s fourth quarter, up almost 8 percent from $131.7 million in the year-ago quarter, but net income dropped almost 11 percent. Conshohocken, Pa.-headquartered Quaker Chemicals net income totaled $7.5 million in 2010s fourth quarter, down 10.7 percent from $8.4 million in 2009s fourth quarter. As expected, continued raw material cost escalation in the fourth quarter resulted in a lag effect on margins, causing our gross margins to be at the...

Dow Microbial Control, Albemarle and Kraton Polymers recently announced price increases for chemicals used in lubricants and metalworking fluids. Dow Microbial Control on March 4 announced price increases of 10 to 30 percent, or as contracts allow, for global consumer and distributor prices on biocides under the Bioban, Rocima and Fungiblock brands, as well as the actives Amical, bronopol, Dowicide, Dowicil, Dxn and glutaraldehyde. The biocides are used in metalworking fluids. Dow Microbial Co...

Undoubtedly the rising cost of crude oil has caused petrochemical demand to slacken significantly in both the United States and Europe. Asia is still busy because of its lower commodity prices. U.S. Gulf of Mexico The market in the U.S. Gulf is much quieter all round. Prompt space is beginning to open up on some routes, such as U.S. Gulf to Far East. Owners are fighting hard to retain existing freight levels, but with so little happening it is hard to stop freights from eroding. From Houston to ...