In one short year, total base oil capacity in the EMEA regions has spiked 9 percent, rising from 16.1 million metric tons per year to todays 17.5 million t/y. Virtually all of the increase is API Group II/III stocks from two new Middle East plants: 1.4 million t/y from the first train of the Shell-Qatar Petroleum gas-to-liquids plant in Qatar, and 400,000 t/y from the Neste-Bapco plant in Bahrain.
With the closing of the Petroplus facility in France, Group I capacity continues its steady slide. In 2011, Group I accounted for 91 percent of the EMEA regions base oil capacity; today its down to 81 percent.
Current and announced capacities and more are spelled out on our 2012 EMEA Base Stock Guide, enclosed for print-edition subscribers with this issue. The completely updated guide includes more than 60 mineral base oil refineries, a dozen modern rerefineries and another 60-plus plants that manufacture nonconventional base stocks (PAO, esters, PIBs, PAGs, phosphate esters, silicones). The guide identifies owners, locations and capacities where relevant.
Our annual Base Stock Guides are produced in close cooperation with Pathmaster Marketing Ltd. of Woking, U.K. In addition to thanking Pathmaster, we also thank the many individuals and companies that have assisted in providing data.
For more information about our global and EMEA regional Base Stock Guides, or to order copies, please visit www.LNGpublishing.com/ BaseStockGuide/index.cfm.
Its a pleasure to introduce John M. Vockley, who has joined our editorial team as managing editor for digital publishing. John brings us extraordinary experience, including over 16 years as a Washington Post editor and six years with the Pittsburgh Press; four years teaching journalism and publication design at the Univ. of Maryland; and significant digital media expertise. By upgrading and expanding our digital presence, John will help us serve current readers more effectively and extend our reach globally. Welcome, John.