First Half of 2017 Shaping Up Differently than First Half of 2016 for Base Oils

摘要

The first half of 2017 is shaping up differently than what the base oil industry faced in the first half of 2016, with changing challenges topping the list of differences. This is similar to many U.S. industries, as the burden of increased regulation presses upon the overall face of America's business communities. Base oils form the leading edge of a significant downstream commercial sector: the lubricants that keep Americas machinery and vehicles operating. When viewing only the base stocks, one level of complexity can be seen. But when viewed in the broader context of what the base stocks are called upon to provide to the lubricants industry going forward, the complexity is today widely increased and affected by a number of changes that were still emerging at the beginning of 2016.