Industry News
Stay informed on lubricant market trends, pricing updates, and industry developments. We curate the latest news from trusted industry sources to keep our customers ahead of market changes.
Strait of Hormuz Closure
Market Update: Spring 2026 has seen significant lubricant price increases (15-35%, with synthetics up to $5.00/gal) driven by base oil costs and geopolitical factors. Contact us for current pricing and availability.
Special Report
May 2026 Market Report
The International Energy Agency Has Declared This Period As The "Largest Supply Disruption In The History Of Oil Markets"
Global oil supply routes face unprecedented disruption as the Strait of Hormuz closure impacts 20% of world oil consumption.
Overview
Global lubricant prices are surging due to unprecedented supply disruptions in the oil market. Base oil and finished lubricant producers are implementing price hikes in response to escalating crude oil costs and geopolitical conflicts, particularly in Iran and the Persian Gulf region.
Group III synthetic oils face severe supply constraints, with over a quarter of global production effectively offline due to the regional conflict. While the US market is somewhat insulated compared to Europe and Asia, global price pressures are affecting all base oil groups.
20M
Barrels/day normally through Strait of Hormuz
90%
Reduction in current flows
25%+
Global Group III capacity offline
Refinery Economics Impact
Refineries are prioritizing diesel production over base oils due to high diesel crack spreads. The lubricant cut represents only about 1% of a barrel of crude, making it particularly vulnerable to refinery production decisions focused on maximizing profitability from higher-demand products like diesel.
This shift results in reduced base oil supply, higher prices, and increased competition for limited availability. The lubricant market becomes dependent on broader energy market dynamics.
Key Impact: Both diesel and base oils are middle distillates from similar refinery processes. With diesel commanding higher prices, refineries are shifting production away from base oils.
Additive Supply Chain Disruptions
Chemical additive supply chains face 3-6 month disruptions. Major additive manufacturers have announced significant surcharges, with Lubrizol and Evonik implementing surcharges of at least $400 per metric ton, and Infineum at $360 per metric ton.
Common Lubricant Additives
From left: Moly Compound (anti-wear), ZDDP (anti-wear/antioxidant), Phenolic AO (antioxidant), OCP (viscosity modifier), PMA (pour point depressant)
Latest Price Increase Announcements (as of 4/21/26)
Source: JobbersWorld
| Company | Increase Amount | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| Chevron | Up to 30% | May 18, 2026 |
| ExxonMobil | Up to 30% | May 4, 2026 |
| Shell (SOPUS) | Up to 25% | May 1, 2026 |
| Castrol (BP) | Up to 15% | May 20, 2026 |
| Phillips 66 | Up to 35% | Apr 20, 2026 |
| TotalEnergies | Up to 18% (synthetics) | Apr 20, 2026 |
| Valvoline Global | Up to 12% | Apr 13, 2026 |
| AOCUSA (Amalie) | +$3.89/gal synthetic; +$2.89/gal conv. | Apr 9, 2026 |
| Omni Specialty | +$5.00/gal synthetic; +$3.75/gal conv. | Apr 21, 2026 |
| CAM2 | Up to 25% | Apr 10, 2026 |
Initial Price Increase Announcements (as of 3/27/26)
| Company | Product | Increase | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevron (US) | Certain Products | Up To 15% | Apr 1, 2026 |
| ExxonMobil (US) | All Lubricants & Greases | Up To 12% | Apr 15, 2026 |
| Petro-Canada (US) | All Lubricants & Greases | Up To 15% | Apr 13, 2026 |
| Shell (US) | All Lubricants & Greases | Up To 15% | Apr 15, 2026 |
| Phillips 66 (US) | All Lubricants & Greases | $0.65-$0.85/gal | Apr 1, 2026 |
| Calumet | All Lubricants & Greases | Up To 20% | Apr 4, 2026 |
* Contact Leahy-Wolf for current pricing.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market Information
Recent escalations, including force majeure declarations, damage to natural gas infrastructure at key facilities such as Qatar Energy's Ras Laffan complex, and severe shipping constraints, have tightened global availability. With virtually no strategic reserves to buffer the impact, urea prices are adjusting far more rapidly than in typical cycles.
JobbersWorld has tracked 30+ price increase announcements since March 11, with cumulative increases approaching 30% and up to $5.00/gallon on synthetics. At least 11 suppliers—including Chevron, Shell, ExxonMobil, and Phillips 66—have issued multiple rounds with exceptionally tight lead times, some implemented within days.
Read full article at JobbersWorldThe spring 2026 base oil price surge has created severe Group III supply constraints. This article provides a practical Stage Gate Framework to help blenders and distributors evaluate their product portfolios and allocate scarce Group III supply where it truly matters. Key insight: risk is highly concentrated in a small number of products like 0W-20 PCMO, while much of the market retains more flexibility than commonly assumed.
Read full article at JobbersWorldComprehensive tracking of lubricant price increases with detailed tables showing in-effect and upcoming announced increases from major suppliers including Smitty's Supply, Highline Warren, Chevron, Shell, ExxonMobil, and more. Synthetic lubricants seeing increases up to $5.00/gallon.
Read full article at JobbersWorldIn-depth analysis of the Spring 2026 price surge driven by geopolitical tensions affecting base oil supply. Base oils, particularly Group III synthetics, have seen cumulative increases approaching $2.00/gallon. The article breaks down cost pressures across the supply chain including additives and logistics.
Read full article at JobbersWorldThe pace and scale of lubricant price increases continue to build with fresh announcements from AOCUSA, Castrol, SOPUS/Pennzoil, Chevron, and Omni. Increases range from 15% to 30%, with synthetic products seeing the largest adjustments. The market is shifting to a continuous repricing environment.
Read full article at JobbersWorldCastrol announced increases of up to 15% effective May 1, 2026. AOCUSA implemented an additional 83¢/gallon increase on lubricants, bringing their total increase to $1.31/gallon. Summary tables track all announced pricing actions from major manufacturers.
Read full article at JobbersWorldAbout Our News Sources
We curate industry news from JobbersWorld, the first and only independent newsletter focused on lubricant distributors, published by Petroleum Trends International. Their coverage provides valuable insights into pricing trends, market dynamics, and industry developments.
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