IRPC’s April base oils output steady, exports rise

Thai refiner IRPC’s base oils output held firm in April, while exports were higher than usual amid a surge in shipments to Singapore.

The refiner’s base oils output of 31,370 kilolitres (27,790t) in April was almost the same as the previous month, government data showed.

The volume fell for a second month from year-earlier levels, when margins were even higher.

IRPC's exports of almost 23,000kl in April rose from 15,200kl in March to the second-highest level in more than a year. The highest level during that time had been in February.

The lower exports in March had coincided with a seasonal rise in domestic demand. The higher exports in April followed a slowdown in domestic demand.

The rise in exports included a wave of shipments to Singapore and a cargo to the Mideast Gulf.