Volume 3 Issue 86

GF-4 Price Hikes Sticking So Far

U.S. motor oil suppliers are expressing relief these days that hefty price hikes for GF-4 oils appear to be taking hold in the market. At the same time, some are complaining that recent increases for GF-3 oils failed to cover rising costs. They added that the market for oils that do not meet the new specification is much more competitive than they were after the last upgrade. The American Petroleum Institute began licensing oils that meet the GF-4 standard on July 31 and is scheduled to stop lic...

Malaysia to Get Group III Plant

Another Pacific Rim refiner is looking to become a Group III base oil supplier. Malaysias national oil company disclosed last week that it plans to build a Group III plant in the Southeast Asian country. Engineering firm Foster Wheeler Ltd. announced Aug. 16 that Petronas awarded it and partner firm OGP Technical Services a contract for project management consultancy for addition of a base oil plant at Petronas refinery complex in Melaka, Malaysia. A Petronas spokesman confirmed that the company...

Castrol India Scoots Into Service Arena

Apparently seekingto adapt the quick-lube concept to motorcycles, Castrol India Ltd. this month unveiled the prototype for a chain of service shops for two-wheelers. At an Aug. 13 ceremony the company commemorated the opening of the first Castrol BikeZone, in the southern city of Bangalore. Officials said they plan to develop 45 more locations in the area over the next six to eight months. Castrol India Managing Director Naveen Kshatriya said the company will enter franchise agreements with inde...

New Rerefiner Says Less is More

A new supplier is testing its theory that smaller is better, as it tries to make a go of rerefining used lubricating oil in the United States. Oil Re-Refining Co. has opened a plant in Portland, Ore., that produces approximately 500 barrels per day of base oils. Through a joint venture it plans to build another plant of the same size near Reno, Nev. Although small compared to existing facilities, the two plants together will increase rerefined base oil capacity in North America by 16 percent. Ac...