US base oils and lube supply stayed lower than usual in October as plant maintenance work cut paraffinic base oils output.Total base oils and lube output of 4.40mn bl (620,000t) in October fell from 4.47mn bl the previous month and for an eighth month in nine from year-earlier levels, government data showed.The lower supply cut the speed and size of any supply-build at a time of year when domestic demand typically starts to face a seasonal slowdown.US domestic Group II spot prices firmed relative to feedstock and competing fuel prices in October, ICIS data showed.The firm margins pointed to more balanced supply-demand fundamentals at the start of the fourth quarter of the year.They also curbed the incentive for refiners to cut base oils output during the final months of the year, when demand usually falls.Base oils output fell in October amid a pause in paraffinic base oils production in the US Midwest region. The region was the location of scheduled maintenance work on a Group I plant that month.The region’s base oils output is typically around 200,000 bl/month.Paraffinic base oils output in the Texas Gulf Coast region also stayed lower than usual in October for a second month.The region's output of less than 1.20mn bl in October was down from more than 1.60mn bl in the five months to August. It was closer to production levels when plant maintenance work has taken place.A pick-up in base oils imports countered the drop in US domestic production, lifting total supply to 5.70mn bl in October.The volume rose from 5.64mn bl in September but still fell for a fifth month in six from year-earlier levels.The slowdown cut the US’ total supply to 58.61mn bl in the first ten months of the year, down 8pc from more than 63mn bl during the same period a year earlier..Brazil’s Oct base oils supply rises.Argentina’s Oct base oils supply falls
US base oils and lube supply stayed lower than usual in October as plant maintenance work cut paraffinic base oils output.Total base oils and lube output of 4.40mn bl (620,000t) in October fell from 4.47mn bl the previous month and for an eighth month in nine from year-earlier levels, government data showed.The lower supply cut the speed and size of any supply-build at a time of year when domestic demand typically starts to face a seasonal slowdown.US domestic Group II spot prices firmed relative to feedstock and competing fuel prices in October, ICIS data showed.The firm margins pointed to more balanced supply-demand fundamentals at the start of the fourth quarter of the year.They also curbed the incentive for refiners to cut base oils output during the final months of the year, when demand usually falls.Base oils output fell in October amid a pause in paraffinic base oils production in the US Midwest region. The region was the location of scheduled maintenance work on a Group I plant that month.The region’s base oils output is typically around 200,000 bl/month.Paraffinic base oils output in the Texas Gulf Coast region also stayed lower than usual in October for a second month.The region's output of less than 1.20mn bl in October was down from more than 1.60mn bl in the five months to August. It was closer to production levels when plant maintenance work has taken place.A pick-up in base oils imports countered the drop in US domestic production, lifting total supply to 5.70mn bl in October.The volume rose from 5.64mn bl in September but still fell for a fifth month in six from year-earlier levels.The slowdown cut the US’ total supply to 58.61mn bl in the first ten months of the year, down 8pc from more than 63mn bl during the same period a year earlier..Brazil’s Oct base oils supply rises.Argentina’s Oct base oils supply falls