June base oils imports from Qatar fall

The delivery of premium-grade base oils from Qatar to key global outlets fell to a four-month low in June amid a dip in shipments to Asia-Pacific.

The key markets of US, Europe and Asia took delivery of around 140,000t of base oils in June, government and customs data showed.

The volume fell from an eight-month high of 231,000t in May.

The slowdown in June partially balanced out the surge in shipments in May, with deliveries in the second quarter still rising to around 538,000t.

The quarterly volume was the second highest on record.

Supplies fell in June because of a dip in shipments to Asia to around 71,000t, from more than 150,000t the previous month.

Europe by contrast took delivery of more than 36,000t in June. The volume rose from less than 33,000t in May to a ten-month high.