ExxonMobil Lubricants and Specialties this month launched its entry in the high-mileage passenger car motor oil category with Drive Clean Plus, a product line that is also being marketed for new vehicles. Separately, ExxonMobil announced the launch of an alliance with COT-Puritech to offer lubrication services to industrial customers. Several other marketers have introduced high-mileage motor oils during the past few years, pitching them as specially formulated to protect aging seals and to redu...

Shell Oil Products US will cease most U.S. sales of its market-leading Diala electrical transformer oils, continuing to sell only a small portion of Diala AX primarily through distributors. Due to the closure of two base oil plants, the company will also exit other process oil markets in the United States. Shell had previously announced plans to close both of its American sources of naphthenic base oils – a plant at Deer Park, Texas, is closing this month, while a Martinez, Calif., plant i...

Under a proposal being explored within the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, metalworking fluid managers could earn professional certification of their knowledge and skills, reports John Burke of Houghton International. The concept already has support from end-user industries who are helping to draft it, including representatives from General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Caterpillar and others. “Detroit’s Big Three absolutely want this,” Burke said recently....

Base oil refining capacity in the United States increased slightly in 2002, according to the latest report from the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association. As the report notes, U.S. capacity stands to fall during 2003. Indeed, Shell Oil Products US plans next week to finish shutting down its 9,500-barrel-per-day Deer Park, Texas, base oil plant. In addition, Shell plans to close its Martinez, Calif., plant (4,700 b/d) Sept. 1. Total capacity for virgin base oil stood at 208,400 barrels ...

Valvolines second-quarter income increased 5.9 percent from the same period a year ago – to $18 million – thanks mostly to continued growth in sales of higher-margin products. Parent company Ashland Inc. reported yesterday that the marketer of automotive lubes and car care products recorded sales of $301 million during the quarter ended March 31 – 10 percent higher than the same period of 2002. In terms of volume, lubricant sales were unchanged at 48.6 million gallons. Volumes ...