The Lubrizol Corporation recently introduced Trident™ H-E-I Technology, a new, proprietary engine oil ingredient formulated to protect gasoline engines from the effects of ethanol-containing fuels. Currently, only a few ILSAC GF-4 oils provide protection when ethanol containing fuels are used. However, ILSAC GF-5 will require all oils be formulated to prevent phase separation that can result from the use of ethanol fuel.

This past week Shell agreed to sell it's downstream assets in Austria and in Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau. Dublin-based DCC plc, UK's largest distributor of oil products, agreed to buy Shell Direct Austria (SDA), Shell's distribution business in Austria. Separately, Shell agreed to sell its assets in the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and Palau to IT&E, the largest telecommunications firm in the CNMI and Guam.

Dr. Dirk Reese, Managing Director of the globally operating Evonik RohMax Additives GmbH, will be retiring at year-end. Reese served the company for almost 30 years in many capacities, including the last 11 years as Managing Director of RohMax. Norbert Westerholt, the co-managing director for RohMax, will continue to lead the company.

The FUCHS PETROLUB Group recorded profit after tax of EUR 81.8 ($122.7) million in the first nine months of 2009. The drop in earnings compared to the previous year (EUR 94.1 million) came to just 13.1%, despite sales revenue falling 19.4% to EUR 873.2 million from EUR 1,083.5 million in the same period the previous year.

Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA, the second largest oil company in the Americas, reported third quarter net profits fell 26 percent to 7.303 billion Brazilian reais ($4.24 billion) from 9.843 billion Brazilian reais ($5.7 billion) for the same period last year. Also last week, Spain's Repsol reported third-quarter net profit declined to 279 million euros ($418.4 million), down more than half from last year.

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