Base oil production in Brazil rose 8% in July, compared to the same month last year, according to the latest data from a government agency.
Meanwhile, base oil imports swelled 6%. Together the numbers indicate an uptick in purchases by the country’s finished lubricant blenders
Domestic virgin base oil plants churned out 48,561 metric tons of base stocks in July, said data released last week by the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels, compared to 44,964 tons in July of 2023. The country has three such plants, plus used lubricant rerefinery, whose output is not included in ANP’s reporting.
Base oil imports for the month totaled 77,502 tons, up from 72,921 tons year to year.
Brazil imports mostly API Group II base oil, the biggest portion from the United States. Brazil’s virgin base oil plants make Group I paraffinic oils and naphthenic base oils, although the nation’s rerefiner, Lwart, makes Group II base oils.
July’s base oil import total was a middling number in the scope of post-COVID 19 output, while the total for in-country production was the seventh-highest in the past 24 months.
Brazil exports much less base oil than it imports. In July it exported 7,500 tons, an increase from 6,562 tons year to year.