Shell Shifts 'Motor Oil Matters' to API
Shell is transferring its Motor Oil Matters consumer education program to the American Petroleum Institute – and asserted that its flush oil sales are consistent with the principles of product quality promoted by that program.
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Chevron Lays Off 1,500
Chevron last week gave layoff notices to nearly 1,500 employees in U.S. downstream businesses, including finished lubricants and base oils.
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Croda Sheds Oleochem Business
Croda has agreed to sell Uniqema GmbH, its German oleochemicals business, to Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur Kepong for €60.5 million (U.S. $75 million).
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From ExMoChem, a Premium PAO
ExxonMobil Chemical has launched a beefy new high-viscosity polyalphaolefin, created with a proprietary metallocene catalyst process, to lift PAO availability and performance.
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Shell Refineries Face Uncertain Future
Royal Dutch Shell continues to negotiate with Essar for the potential sale of three European refineries, two of which include base oil plants, but it has also reopened talks with other companies and may close the refineries if its price isn’t met.
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MWF Cancer Listing 'Deferred'
The U.S. National Toxicology Program has “deferred for future consideration” a decision on whether to include metalworking fluids in its Report on Carcinogens.
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TPC Rebounds
TPC Group reported revenues of $401 million and net income of $4.1 million in the quarter ending March 31, the third quarter of its fiscal year, up from $163 million in revenue and a $5 million loss in the year-ago quarter.
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Funds Offered for Bio-lube Study
The Federal Railroad Administration is offering a total of $700,000 for two separate studies, one on the feasibility of using bio-based lubricants in locomotive, rolling stock and other equipment, the other on locomotive biofuels.
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Pilot, TPC, Oxea Raise Prices
Pilot Chemical announced price increases for chemicals used in manufacturing metalworking fluids and lubricants, TPC will raise prices for its polyisobutylene products and Oxea hiked prices for several solvents.
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Briefly Noted
The U.S. Dept. of Energy granted $150,000 to NanoMech LLC of Springdale, Ark., to support large-scale manufacturing of its NanoGlide lubricant; if successful, additional funding is possible … Sweden’s SKF last week inaugurated its SKF Global Technical Centre China in Shanghai … U.S. Oil Co. of Combined Locks, Wisc., is changing its name to U.S. Venture and moving to a new headquarters in Kimberly, Wisc., all effective June 14.
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U.S. Base Oil Price Report
The U.S. base oil market received news of additional price increases and a sales allocation program at Motiva. Players say product has tightened significantly industry-wide.
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Europe-MidEast-Africa Base Oil Price Report
With producers intent on making price rises stick and buyers claiming enough is enough, the gulf between EMEA sellers and buyers should be wide. This is not the case because demand for API Group I has overtaken supply, and pricing has become the secondary issue.
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SSY Base Oil Shipping Report
Space that is fully open or uncommitted in the U.S. Gulf in May is less common than before. Business in Europe has been slow, largely because of public holidays. Asia had a quiet week too.
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