Base oil production in Brazil dropped 4% during the third quarter, compared to the same period of 2021, as the nation’s output and use of base oils continued running slightly behind last year’s pace.
The country produced 136,000 metric tons of base oil from July through September, according to data posted recently by the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels, down from 141,000 tons in the third quarter of last year.
Through the first nine months of the year, domestic refineries made 380,000 tons of base oil, 5% less than the 402,000 tons produced in the first three quarters of 2021.
Base oil imports have also been running behind 2021. According to data released previously, the country imported 548,000 tons from January through September, 30% less than the same period of last year.
Together the base oil production and import numbers indicate that finished lubricant production in Brazil has dropped in 2022, since it exports far lower amounts of base oil.
Last year was a bounce back year for base oil production, as the country produced 548,000 tons for all of 2021, 23% more than 2020 – the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic – and barely more than in 2019. Base oil imports jumped 30% last year, from 766,000 tons in 2020 to 998,000 tons in 2021.