The devastation caused so far this 'hurricane season' by Harvey and Irma, with Katia and Jose following close behind, has directly and indirectly raised issues for oil and lubes producers.
The impact of these devastating hurricanes has been direct and immediate on those in the path of the storms, not least the oil production industry. A number of major facilities were forced to shut, taking out as much as 25% of the entire US output, either as a direct result of storm damage or as a precautionary measure.
Sitting here in Europe, we can only watch helplessly and add our thoughts to the thousands from around the world for those who lost their lives, have been made homeless or have seen their livelihoods destroyed.
As part of the wider debate, the subject of climate change is once again under the microscope with, as always, questions raised about the role and responsibilities of mineral and fossil fuel and lubes producers.
With increasing pressure on the the automotive industry to reduce emissions generally and a push towards an all-EV agenda in particular - the UK government, for example, stating all new vehicles will be electric by 2040 - the lubricants sector is having to focus on increasingly sophisticated product development and associated marketing.
Although the oil industry remains generally unconcerned about the overall long-term impact on oil production, a change in mindset is clearly visible from the shift in type of base oils and additives being produced to create high-performance, specialist lubricants.
A guide produced by Lubes 'n' Greases, combined with the latest Kline research, highlights the growth in independent producers and chemical specialists. These are now competing directly with the oil majors for the speciality and non-conventional base stock markets.
Globally, the retail picture is mixed. While US auto sales continue to slide, with the lubes market set to follow, in Russia Gazprom is investing in a significant upgrade its Omsk Refinery and increase output, while Shell is planning to double its Russian retail sites. Meanwhile in India, Total is set to launch a domestically researched and produced motorcycle lubricant as it boosts output from its Asian-Pacific Tech Centre.
While the industry may face a stormy outlook over the coming years, there is no question that the innovation and ingenuity of those working within the lubricants sector will help weather the changes.
As Confucius would say, we are living in 'interesting times' and OATS, along with its parent company HaynesPro, is working hard to ensure that 'interesting' also means 'positive' when it comes to provision of the latest lubricants data and marketing solutions for producers, OEMs, marketers and consumers. To find out more, simply contact us via e-mail.
Peter van der Galiën and the OATS team.