Japan’s base oils supply held at the lowest in almost three years in September as a sustained fall in output outweighed a surge in imports.Supply barely covered a seasonal pick-up in the country’s consumption in September, slashing availability for export.The sustained drop in exports cut availability of Group I base oils in the Asia-Pacific region.The closure last month of a key Group I base oils plant in China compounded the tight availability of the grade in the region.Increasingly tight Group I base oils supply left blenders with little option but to maximise consumption of premium-grade base oils instead.Japan’s base oils and lube output of 159,900 kilolitres (142,000 tonnes) in September rose from a thirty-three month low of 150,200 kilolitres the previous month, government data showed.The volume still fell by 24% and for an eighteenth month from year-earlier levels.Output slumped during that period because of a combination of plant closures and extended maintenance work.A 55% surge in base oils imports in the first nine months of the year cushioned the impact of the drop in output. But it was insufficient to reverse it.Japan’s base oils and lube supply, or output and imports combined, edged up to 172,600 kilolitres in September, from less than 165,000 kilolitres the previous month.The September volume was the second-lowest in almost three years. The August volume was the lowest during that time.Low supply contrasted with firmer demand.Japan’s base oils and lube consumption of 140,500 kilolitres in September rose from 122,000 kilolitres in August. The seasonal pick-up in demand outpaced the rise in output in September from the previous month. The trend boosted consumption as a share of output to a four-month high of 88% of the total in September.Domestic demand’s larger share of base oils output slashed further the supplies available for export.These slid by 48% in September from a year-earlier to levels that were close to their lowest in more than a decade.The slump in shipments forced buyers in southeast Asia especially to seek alternative sources for Group I base oils or to use more premium-grade base oils instead..S Korea’s Sept base oils output falls.China’s Sept base oils output rises.Taiwan’s Sept base oils exports fall
Japan’s base oils supply held at the lowest in almost three years in September as a sustained fall in output outweighed a surge in imports.Supply barely covered a seasonal pick-up in the country’s consumption in September, slashing availability for export.The sustained drop in exports cut availability of Group I base oils in the Asia-Pacific region.The closure last month of a key Group I base oils plant in China compounded the tight availability of the grade in the region.Increasingly tight Group I base oils supply left blenders with little option but to maximise consumption of premium-grade base oils instead.Japan’s base oils and lube output of 159,900 kilolitres (142,000 tonnes) in September rose from a thirty-three month low of 150,200 kilolitres the previous month, government data showed.The volume still fell by 24% and for an eighteenth month from year-earlier levels.Output slumped during that period because of a combination of plant closures and extended maintenance work.A 55% surge in base oils imports in the first nine months of the year cushioned the impact of the drop in output. But it was insufficient to reverse it.Japan’s base oils and lube supply, or output and imports combined, edged up to 172,600 kilolitres in September, from less than 165,000 kilolitres the previous month.The September volume was the second-lowest in almost three years. The August volume was the lowest during that time.Low supply contrasted with firmer demand.Japan’s base oils and lube consumption of 140,500 kilolitres in September rose from 122,000 kilolitres in August. The seasonal pick-up in demand outpaced the rise in output in September from the previous month. The trend boosted consumption as a share of output to a four-month high of 88% of the total in September.Domestic demand’s larger share of base oils output slashed further the supplies available for export.These slid by 48% in September from a year-earlier to levels that were close to their lowest in more than a decade.The slump in shipments forced buyers in southeast Asia especially to seek alternative sources for Group I base oils or to use more premium-grade base oils instead..S Korea’s Sept base oils output falls.China’s Sept base oils output rises.Taiwan’s Sept base oils exports fall
