South Korea’s base oils exports to the US improved in June, pointing to moves to prioritise that market even during a round of Group III plant-maintenance work in the northeast Asian country.The maintenance-work in South Korea coincided with the shutdown of two Group III units in the Middle East and a subsequent slowdown in shipments from those suppliers.The pick-up in South Korea’s base oils exports and slowdown in supplies from other sources raised the prospect of boosting further the country’s share of the US Group III base oils market.South Korea’s base oils exports of 45,000 tonnes to the US in June rose from less than 38,000 tonnes the previous month, government data showed..The volume was up from typical levels of around 43,000 tonnes/month in first-half 2025, but down from more than 60,000 tonnes/month during the second half of last year.Shipments from South Korea already boosted their share of US Group III base oils imports to more than 40% of the total in May, up from less than 30% in the first four months of the year.The share of supplies from Bahrain and UAE by contrast fell to less than 10% of total US Group III imports in May, down from more than 20% in the first four months of the year.The steady flows from South Korea to the US in June raised the prospect of extending that trend.Some South Korean refiners also benefited from additional Group III base oils production in other markets.The additional capacity cushioned the impact of plant-maintenance in any one of those markets, helping to sustain steady supplies to key markets like the US.A rare shipment from Spain to the US in July highlighted that dynamic.The plant-maintenance work in the Middle East by contrast highlighted those refiners’ lack of additional capacity beyond those units.The lack of additional capacity magnified the impact of the maintenance work and subsequent drop in supplies to key markets like the US..S Korea’s June base oils exports rise.S Korea's June exports to India rise.US’ May base oils imports fall
