Pakistan’s May base oils supply rises

Pakistan’s base oils supply rose to a five-month high in May mostly because of a jump in imports of the lubricant feedstock.

Base oils supply, or domestic production and imports combined, rose to more than 39,000t in May, government and customs data showed.

The volume rose from less than 32,000t the previous month to the highest level since last December.

Supply of 151,320t in the first five months of the year was still down 25pc from around 203,000t during the same period last year.

Base oils supply rose even as Pakistan’s domestic base oils production fell in May for a fifth month.

The trend cut domestic output as a share of Pakistan’s base oils supply to less than 30pc of the total.

The share was down from 39pc in the first four months of the year and a 36pc share in 2022.