Staying in Lane
Our audience comes to us for opinions on the lubricants industry. Yet often in these pages, we mention the ongoing geopolitical strife in the Middle East and how it affects base oil trade flows. It would be remiss of us not to do so. Nevertheless, we stop short of speculating whether the political decisions that lead to this strife are good or bad.
That said, the interconnectedness of the segments of the hydrocarbons industry inevitably means that dis-ruption to oil supply caused by current events sends ripples along the value chain. This creates fluctuations in the supply of the base oil industrys crude feedstock to refineries around the world. 2020 could be a choppy year in this regard, with pressures on the industry as a whole coming from all sides – environmental, commercial and political.
Talking of environmental pressure on the upstream extraction and downstream base oil sectors, the team here at HQ is putting the finishing touches on the next LubesnGreases Perspective on Electric Vehicles quarterly report. This invaluable PDF of original reporting and news should be gliding its way to your inboxes at the end of the month. To secure a copy, if you havent already done so, visit www.LubesnGreases.com/electric-vehicles.
– Howard Briskin
HBriskin@LubesnGreases.com