Fostering growth in the lubes industry through Professional Associations

VOL 46 • SEPTEMBER 2023

Lubezine Magazine | Editor-in-Chief

W elcome to the 46th edition of Lubezine, which brings you the happenings in the lubricants industry in the third quarter. This edition is loaded with news from Africa and globally foregrounding the new products, partnerships and features that delve into lubricant-related topics.

In the cover feature, we look at the Lubricants Producers Association of Nigeria (LUPAN), an organization based in Nigeria comprising of lubricants blenders. LUPAN was started in 2009 with the vision of developing and promoting the lubricant industry as it affects the national economy. It has close to 40 members, and its membership is exclusive to corporate bodies licensed to carry on the business of lubricant blending by the regulatory body of the Nigerian petroleum sector, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). These corporate bodies must be indigenous and operate a standard blending plant accredited by the Agency.

LUPAN has been very instrumental in advocating for the interests of its members while also liaising with government regulatory agencies like the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) among others. The article highlights the activities LUPAN has been involved in to improve Nigeria’s lubricants market and its plans.

As is our norm, in the professional interview segment, we bring you experienced experts in the lubes sector to share valuable insights about the industry. This edition features Mr. Nagesh Rajan, the Lubricants Manufacturing Specialist at Oryx Energies Tanzania. Before joining Oryx Energies Tanzania, Mr Rajan worked in Asia for nearly 20 years. As he explains the lubricants business of Oryx Energies; he also helps us understand the similarities and differences between the Asian and African lubricants markets.

A technical article by Andres B. Lantos from WearCheck Argentina on turbine oils looks into lubricant oxidation and varnish formation in turbines and how oxidation can be checked in turbine oils. It also offers insights into the different strategies that can be adopted to maintain high antioxidant levels in turbine oils.

Sustainability remains a crucial focus in the lubes market, and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are constantly innovating with this subject in mind. FUCHS recently launched a sustainable grease for heavy-duty trucks, Eurol launched biodegradable lubricants, and Shell Aviation introduced a new lifecycle sustainability approach for its AeroShell aviation lubricants to avoid, reduce, and compensate for lifecycle carbon emissions. In Kenya, Vivo Energy’s joint venture lubricants blending plant, Shell & Vivo Lubricants (SVL), teamed up with Blowplast and Mr. Green to launch eco-friendly packaging for the Shell-branded lubricants.

More features in this edition include: news updates like ENOC starting distribution of lubricants in Kuwait, Valvoline, Aston and Martin lubricants partnership among others. We welcome you to indulge..

Enjoy the read.