US’ Feb base oils exports to Brazil fall

US base oils exports to Brazil fell in February as a slowdown in shipments from the districts of New Orleans and Mobile outweighed higher-than-usual volumes from Houston-Galveston.

Exports of 239,690bl (33,760t) in February fell from a four-month high of 311,640bl the previous month, US government data showed.

The February volume was close to average export levels of around 233,000 bl/month over the past year.

The slowdown in shipments from New Orleans coincided with plant maintenance work in Louisiana in February.

Brazil’s base oils market avoided a build-up of surplus supplies late last year and early this year even as domestic lube demand slowed.