Observers of the international lubricant industry have Total penciled in for a 10,000-barrel-per-day upgrade at its base oil plant in Gonfreville, France. The industry may need an eraser for that project. The Paris-based oil company said it has not in fact decided whether to proceed with the project and that it may go in another direction. We are aware of the rumors, but they are not correct, Lubricants Base Oil Manager Alain Fauretold Lube Report. We are studying the possibility [of an upgrade]...

Pilot Chemical Co. announced last week that it plans to relocate corporate offices from three U.S. locations to Cincinnati, site of its primary manufacturing operations. The company, which also restructured its corporate management, said the move will make operations more efficient. The specialty chemical company said it will transfer 28 executive, commercial, technical and finance positions – mostly from Santa Fe Springs, Calif., its existing headquarters, plus a few from both Red Bank, N...

Nearly half – 47 percent – of the lubricating oil sold in the United Kingdom and Western Canada is collected for reuse or rerefining, and California is a close second at 43 percent, according to a study conducted for Western Canadas Used Oil Management Association. Comparing volumes of used oil collected vs. the volume estimated to be collectable (about 62 percent of total lubricating oil sales) the U.K. takes the lead by a whisker at 76 percent. Western Canada is second, collecting...

Huntsman Corp. has announced plans to expand its capacity to produce ethylene carbonate at its manufacturing facility in Conroe, Texas. Ethylene carbonate is used as a reactive intermediate in production of lubricants and greases, among other applications. In a July 29 statement, Huntsman said it is undertaking the expansion because of growing demand – especially from one of its other end-use markets, environmentally friendly solvents. The Woodlands, Texas-based chemical company is already...