Adrian Brown is away.

Russian base oil exports plunged more than 20 percent to around 700,000 metric tons in the first nine months of 2016, hampered by a supply glut in Europe, according to a consultancy. Russia is traditionally a swing supplier of base oils to the rest of Europe and at times has accounted for significant portions of the regions demand. In the first nine months of 2013, Russian base oil refiners, which have combined capacity of approximately 2.4 million tons per year, exported about 1.2 million tons,...

Phillips 66 and Citgo notified U.S. customers of upcoming price increases on finished lubricants that go into effect in February and March. Factors cited included escalating costs for raw materials such as base oil, and increases in packaging material costs. Phillips 66notified customers last week it would raise finished lubricant prices approximately 5 percent effective Feb. 27. Citgo informed customers last week of a general finished lubricant price increase of 3 percent to 5 percent on brande...

Valvoline Inc. reported operating income of $100 million for its three operating segments – North America, quick lubes and international – during the fiscal quarter ending Dec. 31, 9 percent higher than in the year-earlier period. Disciplined margin management and strong performance from our two growth engines, quick lubes and international, drove better-than-expected profitability for the quarter, Valvoline CEO Sam Mitchell said in the companys quarterly earnings news release. The t...

Global energy consumption in 2035 is expected to be 31 percent higher in 2015, with renewables nearly quadrupling their share during that time, while oil, natural gas and coal will still account for nearly 80 percent of energy consumption, according to the 2017 BP Energy Outlook. The growth rate for global energy consumption is expected to be slower during the outlook period, at 1.3 percent per year to 2035, compared to 2.2 percent from 1995 to 2015. This reflects decreases in energy intensity, ...

In late December, Californias Department of Food and Agricultures Division of Measurement Standards disclosed that Smittys Supply Inc. paid $751,555 to settle a civil complaint alleging that it mislabeled engine oils. The companys Custom Plus Motor Oil was tested by the Division of Measurement Standards as part of a random testing program in 2012, and was found to be of a lower winter grade than advertised. A subsequent investigation found that many of Smittys products offered in Orange County, ...