US Group II base oil posted prices increasing

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Several US Group II base oil producers announced posted price increases this week as higher crude oil prices thinned margins and fostered the price moves.

Chevron confirmed it is moving up its Group II posted prices by 12 cents/gal on all grades effective 10 January.

Phillips 66 and Flint Hills Resources (FHR) are in the process of combining under the Excel Paralubes name as of 1 January, but continue to currently operate as separate names for the current base oil efforts. Phillips 66 confirmed posted prices for both the Phillips 66 name, and the FHR name will increase effective 12 January.

Increases on the Phillips 66 and FHR base oil viscosities are different for several of the grades as the very low viscosity 70, 75 and 80 grades are increasing by 13 cents/gal, while the light 100/120 grade is going up by 16 cents/gal. Mid viscosity 200/220 is increasing by 13 cents/gal, and the 600 grade is moving up by 12 cents/gal.

In the Group II+ base oils, Kleen Performance Products is moving both its grades up by 12 cents/gal effective 15 January.

Following the 10 January posted price increase, Chevron’s 100/120 viscosity posted price is $2.89/gal, the 200/220 is at $2.99/gal, and the 600 is at $3.44/gal.

The following graph shows Group II posted price trends on mid viscosity grades for two producers.

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