Volume 11 Issue 3

Finished Lube Prices Rise

Most major oil companies notified U.S. customers of finished lubricant price mark ups that go into effect from early February to early March, the majority citing increases in base oil, additives and packaging costs. On Dec. 15, Chevron told customers it would bump prices up 5 percent on lubricating oils, gear lubes and greases. Some specific products could increase in amounts outside of the general increase, the companys letter pointed out. ConocoPhillips told customers Dec. 21 it would hike...

Shell to Shut Harburg Refinery

Royal Dutch Shell announced last week it will cease refining at its Harburg, Germany, facility, which includes a 6,300 barrel per day base oil plant. The Dutch-Anglo energy giant said it will convert the refinery to a storage facility next year. At the same time, Shell said it will keep and continue operating its Stanlow, U.K., refinery if it fails to find a buyer by the end of February. The Stanlow complex, which also includes a base oil plant, has been on the sales block since 2009, as was th...

EPA Targets Chemicals

The U.S. EPA issued a final rule effective Feb. 7 requiring makers of 19 high production volume chemicals, including three used in lubricants and metalworking fluids, to test their health and environmental effects and submit data to the agency. The 19 chemicals included C12-C24 chloroalkenes, which the Environmental Protection Agency said are used in metalworking fluids, along with both sulfated and oxidized forms of castor oil. Castor oil and its derivatives are used in the manufacturing of gr...

Fire Hits Indian Oil Blending Plant

An electrical short circuit may have sparked a fire early yesterday at Indian Oils lubricant blending plant at Taloja in Navi Mumbai, India, that required six hours to extinguish. A fire brigade official said the fire destroyed about 40,000 liters of lubricant oil, according to an Agence India Press report yesterday. According to Indian Oil, the fire was limited to a shed in a 3,000 square meter area of the plant. The companys fire and safety personnel put out the fire by 7:30 a.m. with no casu...

Chemical Prices on the Rise

Several chemical manufacturers recently outlined price increases for solvents and chemicals used in making lubricants. Houston-based Kraton Polymers effective Feb. 1 will increase prices for SBS and OE SBS polymers in North America by $110 per metric ton or 5 cents per pound. The polymers are used in lubricants and other applications ranging from personal care to paving. Starting Feb. 1, Oxea will charge 5 to 10 cents more per pound on list and off-list prices for four solvents in the United St...

SSY Base Oil Shipping Report

European coastal business has sagged this week, although deep-sea requirements are holding up. The U.S. Gulf is very tight again for end January, and freights have risen. Asia is less active, and freights are weaker. U.S. Gulf of Mexico Our predictions of stronger freight figures on transatlantic routes have been proven correct. Ethanol and xylene have been particularly active, and most of the obvious ships that were in position have now all been fixed. There are a couple of additional vessel...