PC-10, the diesel oil upgrade due out in June 2005, “has to be finished on time,” ChevronTexaco’s Jim McGeehan told ASTM’s Heavy Duty Engine Oil Classification Panel last week. “But we have to face, and resolve this year, a huge problem.” It may cost from around $10.8 million toas much as $24 million to conduct the testing matrix for this new oil category. There’s no way around this cost:a “precision matrix” is a hard and fast requirement for...

Crompton Corp. announced last week that it will increase production of sodium sulfonates at its Amsterdam, Netherlands, factory to help meet a shortage anticipated due to Shell Oils plans to close a Martinez, Calif., base oil refinery. The Middlebury, Conn., specialty chemical supplier declined to disclose the size or cost of the expansion but said it should be completed by the end of June. Shell Oil Products US plans to close the Martinez refinery on Sept. 1 and much of the metalworking fluids ...

Would-be used oil reprocessor Probex Corp. has sold its used oil collection business to pay off part of its defaulted debt. The company said the lack of an in-house collection operation should not hurt the viability of its planned plant in Wellsville, Ohio. Probex, of Addison, Texas, announced March 27 that Atlantic Oil Collection Services Inc. had bought the assets of its collection business for $1 million. Probex said it would use the money to pay off part of the $12 million outstanding balanc...

BP Chemical reopened its Pasadena, Texas, linear alphaolefin plant last week – just a month after halting production because of rising costs and poor market conditions. Although natural gas costs have dropped over the past month, BP acknowledged that the business environment for LAOs remains unattractive, with surplus supply depressing margins. The company said it resumed production April 1 in order to meet contractual obligations. The plant closed Feb. 28. After sitting down with some of ...

Additive maker Functional Products Inc. announced last week that it has been purchased by Netmed Inc., a holding company new to the lubricants industry. Functional Products President Fred Litt said Netmed – a Columbus, Ohio, holding company – was able to acquire the company because Functional Products co-founder Dick Immerman was ready to sell his stake. Basically Netmed bought out Dick and partly bought out me, Litt said. They made the acquisition for investment purposes, and theyre...