Volume 6 Issue 18

SSY Base Oil Shipping Report

With all the public holidays taking place around the world, business has been disjointed and difficult to conclude. The shipping market has suffered as a result, with all regions reported to be slower.-by Adrian Brown

Chinese Base Oils Mismatch Need

After more than a decade of steady investments, China has capacity to make more base oil than it consumes. But that capacity is a poor match for the mix of base oils that the country needs, leading to significant under-utilization, a consultant said at a recent industry conference in Suzhou.

Mitsui to Double Additive Capacity

Japans Mitsui Chemicals plans a February 2021 opening for a plant that will produce its Lucant-branded hydrocarbon-based synthetic fluids, which are used mainly as viscosity modifiers in lubricants. The company held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project last month in Chiba Prefecture, eastern Japan.

Tough Quarter for Korean, Pakistani Companies

South Korean base oil refiners SK Lubricants, S-Oil and Hyundai Shell Base Oil Co. each reported a steep decline in operating profit for the quarter ending March 31, mostly due to narrowed margins. Castrol India Ltd. reported an increase in first-quarter net profit and Pakistans Hi-Tech Lubricants Ltd. posted a steep decrease in net profit.

From Other Editions of Lube Report

Briefly Noted

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. will sell its base oil to Indian Oil Corp. under a long-term sales agreement.