It has been a slightly slower week in Europe, Asia and the United States, but this may be due to tight tonnage availability on some routes as well as judicial logistical planning that has obviated the need for last minute re-supply. U.S. Gulf Cargo volumes remain strong into Asia. Traders are still seeking December space, which is not really feasible unless additional ships go on berth. Should that occur, those owners will be looking for a freight that will be higher than the standard high $60s ...

Ineos Oligomers announced Dec. 14 its final investment decision to build a 120,000 metric tons per year low-viscosity polyalphaolefin plant at its Chocolate Bayou, Texas, petrochemical refinery. Scheduled for start-up in 2019s third quarter, the project will make Ineos by far the worlds leading PAO producer, with total capacity of 350,000 t/y. The investment amount was not disclosed. The new plant is targeted to supply PAO to all regions, Kevin Ratliff, Ineos marketing manager in the Americas fo...

HOUSTON – Ford continues to progress in its development of a shorter test for valve train wear in heavy-duty diesel engines and expects to incorporate it into the companys WSS-M2C171-F1 engine oil specification by mid-2018, an official told the Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil Classification panel here earlier this month. Fords Ron Romano also suggested the company could eventually recommend a supplement the API CK-4 specification if and when its new test is adopted by ASTM and incorporated in...

Imperial Oil will discontinue production of API Group I base oils, waxes and finished lubricants at its refinery in Strathcona, Canada, by early 2018, an industry source confirmed last week. This would be the latest in a long line of Group I plants to have closed the past two decades as base oil demand in North America and Europe shifts to Group II and III stocks, as well as synthetics. Consultancy Kline & Co. predicted recently that global Group I demand will decrease at a compound annual r...

Global demand for general industrial lubricants and grease is expected to remain stagnant though 2021, hovering around 6.4 million tons, said Kline & Co. in a webinar last week. Over the past five years, general industrial oil and grease demand has declined slightly, but has remained in the 6.4 million to 6.5 million ton range, according to Kunal Mahajan, project manager for the Parsippany, New Jersey-based consultancy. He noted that demand for some oils, such as turbine and circulating oils...