Chemical exports out of the U.S. are running at a reasonably steady pace. Europe and Asia, however, are both considered to be quieter than normal.-by Adrian Brown

Simmering tensions between Iran and the United States are stoking fears of cargo interruptions among major base oil traders. Insurance and ship charter costs are already spiraling, and analysts warn that escalation in the standoff could see facilities such as refining assets targeted.

Bosch Rexroth is set to take delivery of the first prototype of its oil ageing test rig, a machine developed to obtain more precise values for the effects of lubricants ageing in the field. The prototype will be delivered in the coming weeks, an official with the German equipment manufacturer recently told a conference in Amsterdam.

In the 1960s, scientists in the Soviet Union founded chemmotology, a science focused on making efficient use of fuels, lubricants and other fluids used in machinery. Today that science continues to evolve, although it did not spread and was not duplicated outside of its original boundaries.