Adnoc selects Chemlube for base oil sales in Europe

23/02/2018 05:54 AST

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has concluded an exclusive agreement with Chemlube, appointing the Switzerland-based company as the exclusive seller of its Group III Base Oil product in Europe.

The agreement was signed by Abdulla Salem Al Dhaheri, marketing, sales and trading director, Adnoc; and Robert Nobel, managing director of Chemlube, said a statement.

Following the signing ceremony, ADbase, the new Adnoc Base Oil brand, was officially launched at a gala event, held at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre, in London, UK, it said.

The launch event was held on the side lines of the 22nd ICIS World Base Oils and Lubricants Conference, the world's largest base oil conference, and a unique forum which brings together more than 600 specialists from across the globe and from different parts of the lubricants value chain, it added.

In line with its strategy to maximise value from its downstream refining and petrochemical operations, Adnoc Refining, an Adnoc subsidiary, produces up to 500,000 metric tonnes per year of high quality Group III base oil, at its Ruwais refining and petrochemicals complex. Group III base oils are typically used to manufacture top tier, high performance, engine oils.

Al Dhaheri said: "The signing of the European sales agreement and the launch of the ADbase brand underline Adnoc's commitment to achieving the best commercial value from its crude and petroleum products, through innovative and competitive marketing strategies, expansion of our client base and penetration of new markets."

"We aim to capitalise on Adnoc's long-established reputation for providing high quality products and our status as a reliable customer-focused supplier. We look forward to working with Chemlube to deliver our high-quality product into European lubricants' markets, where demand for high performance Group III base oils is expanding," he said.

Chemlube, based in Villars-sur-Glane, Switzerland is a sister company of Chemlube International, based in Harrison New York, US. The Chemlube group is one of the international leaders in the trading and distribution of base oils. Established in 1989, Chemlube maintains a global network of offices and sale representatives in Europe, Singapore, China, India, the Middle East, Africa, South America, and Mexico. Chemlube International also blends and markets finished lubricants produced at its plant in Savannah, Georgia.

Joe Rousmaniere, director of business development and leading expert on Group III base oil markets, Chemlube, said: "We are excited to be partnering with Adnoc to deliver its high quality base oil to our European customers."

"Our goal is to provide our customers with competitively priced, quality base oils and lubricants to meet their specific requirements. ADbase is the right product to meet our customers' most demanding requirements," he said.

The signing of the Europe Base Oil sales agreement follows a similar agreement with Penthol, a global organisation in the supply and distribution of oil products and petrochemicals, who were appointed as exclusive seller of Adnoc Group III base oil in the US, in May 2017.

Murban, Abu Dhabi's light, high paraffinic crude is the only source of feedstock for Adnoc's Base Oil plant in Ruwais, which ensures a consistent, high quality product. It has a high viscosity index (VI) making it an ideal lubricant component, ensuring efficiency and fuel economy for high performance engines, while meeting ever stringent environmental regulations.

Adnoc has already completed API SN approval, GM Dexos 1, ILSAC GF-5, and 0w-20 for full synthetic motor oils, and is actively working with additive companies to achieve original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) formulation approvals, it stated.

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