ExxonMobil last Monday announced plans to expand Group II and Group II+ EHC™ production capacity at its Baytown, Texas refinery. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2013, and unit startup is targeted for early 2015. The expansion will significantly increase output of EHC Group II and Group II+ base stocks. ExxonMobil will introduce EHC 65, a new group II base stock designed for blending heavy duty engine oils.

BP last Tuesday announced its fourth quarter net profit fell nearly 80 percent to $1.62 billion, down from $7.69 billion in the same period in 2011. After adjustments, underlying replacement cost profit was $4.0 billion for the fourth quarter, compared to $5.0 billion for the same period in 2011. For the full year, underlying replacement cost profit was $17.6 billion compared to $21.7 billion in 2011.

Chevron Oronite recently announced the commercial availability of OLOA® 54050, which is a high-performance additive package developed to help engine oil manufacturers align their Semi-Synthetic Passenger Car Motor Oil formulations with the ACEA A3/B4-10 specifications that were mandatory as of December 22, 2012 as well as with the existing API SN requirements.

State-owned Indonesian energy firm Pertamina has expanded its lubricants business to the United Arab Emirates, through its partner Sharjah National Lube Oil Company. Sharlu owns and operates a blending plant in the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE and has been manufacturing and marketing lubricants for the past 35 years.