As part of its strategy to leave markets where it is not competitive, Chevron announced it will withdraw its brand from about 1,100 independently-owned and operated retail stations in Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C., and parts of Tennessee. The company will maintain its lubricants operations in the eastern U.S. and its Pascagoula refinery.

Total Lubricants Canada and Ultramar Ltd. announced last Monday that Total has acquired Ultramar’s lubricants business and that the two companies have signed a partnership under which Total branded lubricants will be sold throughout the Ultramar Network. Total operates a blending plant in Montreal with a capacity of 35,000 tons, which was built in 2000.

Univar, a global leader in chemical distribution, announced lat Monday that it has signed a new long term distribution agreement with affiliates of the Shell Group in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden to market, sell and distribute Shell branded lubricants in these four countries. Univar has been a market leader in the Nordic market for many years, serving customers in a wide range of industrial applications from its local sites in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden.

Chevron last week announced that after conducting extensive field tests since 2000 in nearly two-dozen Volvo D12C engines using Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF), Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) – technologies expected to be widely deployed to help reduce vehicle emissions starting in 2010 – Delo® 400 LE SAE 15W-40 showed exceptional performance in the areas of durability, reliability and the reduced production of incombustible materials in the DPF.

Petro-Canada last week announced the addition of The Azelis Group to their European distribution network. The Azelis Group will be responsible for promoting, supplying and distributing packaged PURETOL White Mineral Oil to personal care and pharmaceutical sectors throughout Europe. Promotion, supply and distribution of the PURETOL packaged product will be based out of the Azelis Group facility and laboratory Kraemer and Martin, in Germany.

ExxonMobil recently announced the global launch of Mobil SHC Pegasus Series, a new category of advanced technology oils designed to maximize natural gas engine component reliability, but with additional energy efficiency opportunities. Developed for optimum engine protection in natural gas engines, Mobil SHC Pegasus Series exhibited average energy savings of up to 1.5%* in independent university laboratory testing and statistically validated field tests.

• Financial and Strategic Analysis Review for:
  • SK Corporation 
  • S-Oil Corporation Inc.
  • Petrol Ofisi A.S.
• Italian Petroleum Wholesaler San Marco Petroli Buys OMV Italia Srl
• LUKOIL Nine Months 2009 Net Income Reached $5.3 Billion
• Navistar Buys Mixer Manufacturer Continental Mfg. Company, Inc.
• Nutek, LLC Introduces New Soy-Based, Biodegradable Lubricating and Cleaning Wipes  
• Bosch, Deutz, and Eberspächer Establish JV For Diesel Exhaust Aftertreatment 
• China Overtakes U.S. as World's Largest Car Market With 2009 Expected Sales of 12.7 Million Cars and Light Trucks vs. U.S. Car and Light Truck Sales of Only 10.3 Million
• Oxea Announces Polyols Price Increases