Argus Global Base Oils Conference

7:30

☆ Join us for a morning 5k run around the scenic Hyde Park and get those endorphins flowing!

Meet at the InterContinental Park Lane lobby - Departs at 7:30am sharp.
Sign up sheet to come.

Day One

08:00 - 09:00

Morning registration and networking breakfast

08:50 - 08:55

Conference welcome

Emily Harris

Conference Producer

Argus

08:55 - 09:00

Chairperson's opening remarks

Guo Harn Hong

Global Lead Base Oils

Argus

Keynote

09:00 - 09:30

☆ Fireside chat: How to succeed in a turbulent base oils and lubricants industry

Alicia Logan

General Manager

Chevron Base Oils

Macroeconomics and global market overview

09:30 - 10:00

Macroeconomic snapshot: What impact is de-dollarization having on global trade?

This session will feature a presentation followed by audience Q&A.

- Understand the driving factors of current macroeconomic concerns such as soaring global inflation and high interest rates, conflict in Europe, the US debt crisis and more.
- Increasingly we are seeing countries shift away from trading on the US dollar – including the BRICS countries gold-based trade, and recent India-Indonesia decision to trade in Rupees – what will the lasting impacts of this be?
- Looking to the rest of 2024, what can we expect from the global economy in terms of energy markets?

Marc Ostwald

Chief Economist & Global Strategist

ADM Investor Services International

10:00 - 10:30

Argus global overview: What are the driving macro-trends across the base oils and lubricants industries?

- Gain insights and perspective on the driving trends of the global base oils and lubricants market
- What are the latest demand- and supply-side developments that impact base oils, such as closures, new builds and expansions across regions, and are they sufficient to balance the market in the mid to long-term?  
- What can we expect in the next 12 months in terms of supply and demand fundamentals and pricing impacts?

Guo Harn Hong

Global Lead Base Oils

Argus

Morning break

10:30 - 11:15

Morning coffee and networking break

Located in the networking area

10:30 - 11:15

☆ Women in base oils networking break

Open to all, join us in the main conference room for refreshments and to have an open discussion with leading women in the industry regarding their personal experiences of growth and challenges they have overcome. This is a perfect opportunity for women in the base oils and lubricants industry to meet, network, and share experiences with their peers, and for all delegates to better understand their peers and how to promote diversity and inclusivity in the base oils industry.

Speakers Include:

Alicia Logan

General Manager

Chevron Base Oils

Bhavika Sachdeva

Trinity Lubes & Greases

Russian-origin product and Argus EMEA outlook

11:15 - 11:45

Europe’s trading red flag: How are sanctioned Russian-origin products making their way back into European markets?

- In response to the outbreak of conflict in Europe, sanctions were placed on the trading of Russian origin base oils and their products into Europe. However, recent times have seen an alarming return of these products into the market.
- What do we know about the scale of this problem and what are the impacts of sanctioned products entering European markets and profiting?
- What does the industry need to do to combat this flow of sanctioned products – legislation loopholes, industry association lobbying, and companies making a stand.

Mark Lord

Managing Director

Aztec Oils

11:45 - 12:15

Argus base oils EMEA: What has changed a year after the EU’s embargo on Russian oil products?

Gabriella Twining

Global Editor - Base Oils

Argus

Lunch

12:15 - 13:30

Lunch

OEMs - Approvals, testing and technology updates

13:30 - 14:00

Approvals: How do they vary across the world and why are they valuable?

- Engine lubricants are complex fluids engineered specifically to ensure moving parts are kept lubricated and cool to reduce wear and damage, and therefore increase the longevity of vehicles.
- What different types of OEM approvals exist and how important are they in determining the quality of finished lubricants?
- How do approval processes work around the world? What are the most important approvals in each region and how hard are they to achieve?

Mathew Cole Evans

OEM Manager, Lubrizol

Lubrizol

14:00 - 14:30

How are OEMs updating their technology across the automotive, marine and industrial sectors?

- What regulatory and environmental incentives are in store for OEMs across the three main sectors – automotive, marine, and industrial?
- What matrix of fuels are being considered across these sectors and how will this affect the type of lubricants needed? Considering hydrogen, biodiesel/HVO, ammonia, methanol, LNG and electrification.
- What do the panel think will be the most important developments for engines in their sectors in the future?

Break

14:30 - 15:00

Afternoon coffee and networking break

Lubricants focus afternoon – additive packages, blender strategies and PAOs

15:00 - 15:45

How are blenders of different sizes adapting their strategies to succeed in the current constantly changing market landscape?

- Hear from different size blenders from different global regions about the challenges of the current market and how they are adapting their strategies for the future according to their size and location.
- How are blenders ensuring they are meeting growing climate targets whilst maintaining the quality and performance in their products?

Speakers Include:

Joris van der List

Technology Manager

Q8 Oils

Jayanta Chatterjee

Global Base Oil Procurement Director

Castrol

Siddharth Sachdeva

Managing Director

Trinity Lubes and Greases

Moderator:

David Wright

Director General

UKLA

15:45 - 16:15

RRBOs and additive packages: How are lubricant and additives formulations changing including the use of RRBOs (re-refined base oils)?

- What are the latest trends of additive packages and lubricant formulations involving RRBOs?
- How does continued investment and research into additive packages and sustainable alternatives to current formulations benefit the industry?
- How are changing requirements for commercial and passenger vehicles - including specifications and testing that is still being introduced – impacting additive packages and lubricant formulations? How could RRBO based formulations help this problem?

Pierre-Yves Teyssier

EAME Product Line Manager

Chevron Oronite

16:15 - 17:00

Do polyalphaolefin (PAO) lubricants have a long-term future in the lubricants industry?

Polyalphaolefin (PAO) is a synthetic hydrocarbon and the most used synthetic base oil in lubricants manufacturing.

- How do PAO-based lubricants compare to traditional mineral lubricants in terms of performance, quality, and affordability?
- How does the industry best manage the trade-off between volatility and low viscosity in PAOs?
- Are PAOs a serious contender for the long-term future of the lubricants industry? What needs to be done in terms of investment and incentives to increase their use?

Speakers Include:

Ken Hope

Global PAO Technological Services Manager

Chevron Phillips Chemical Company

Michel Sanchez Rivas

PAO Business Development Manager EMEA

Chevron Phillips Chemical Company

Day one concludes and cocktail reception

17:00

Day one closing remarks

Emily Harris

Conference Producer

Argus

17:00 - 19:00

Networking drinks reception

08:00 - 09:00

Morning networking

8:55 - 9:00

Chairperson's opening remarks

Guo Harn Hong

Global Lead Base Oils

Argus

Greases workshop: Overcoming lithium-based greases

09:00 - 09:45

The uncertain future of lithium hydroxide: How are grease manufacturers responding to concerns of supply, sustainability and economic viability?

Lithium hydroxide is a key thickening agent used in the manufacturing of lubricating greases, approximately 70% of lubricating greases produced contain lithium.

- Understand the role of lithium hydroxide in the manufacturing and use of lubricating greases, and discover how the grease industry's market share of lithium supply is facing increased competition from batteries and more
- What other challenges face the use of lithium in manufacturing - considering the environmental impact of mining, health and safety, economic viability and more.
- What lithium-free alternatives are coming to the market and what information do we have on their availability and their performance? What are the latest lithium-free developments and potential bottlenecks to be aware of?

Dennis Eijdenberg

Technical Support Manager

Axel Christiernsson

Main conference day two begins

09:45 - 10:15

Hedging base oils: How can the market manage risk?

- How do companies hedge base oils currently?
- Is crude and fuel proxy hedging still adequate?
- What elements would be needed to launch a base oils listing?
- What are the advantages and the challenges of hedging base oils?

Speakers Include:

Frederic Vazzoler

General Manager Base Oils

TotalEnergies Supply & Marketing

Paul Wightman

Senior Director Research and Product Development

CME Group

Moderator:

Catherine Caulfield

Business Development Manager— Oil Markets

Oil Markets, Argus Media

10:15 - 10:46

Argus base oils Americas: How is base oil production differing across the Americas - versatile production, weak LatAm finished lubricant demand, production maintenance and more.

- How is increasing versatility in US domestic Group II/Group III production affecting the market, particularly for light grades?
- How are rising interest rates, higher base oil and additive costs driving inventory strategies across the lubricant supply chain?
- How is extensive maintenance and programmed shutdowns across Brazil in the second half of 2023 affecting LatAm market dynamics - including increased imports, need for stronger demand for finished lubricants, structural issues.

John Dietrich

Base Oils Market Reporter - North America

Argus

Morning break

10:45 - 11:15

Morning coffee and networking break

Global base oil production and re-refining

11:15 - 12:00

Producer focus: Responding to dynamic markets and seizing future opportunities

- What opportunities are available to the base oils producers in today’s changing market, and what are the macro-trends driving the industry?
- How can the industry best move forward and plan effectively to ensure security and quality of supply across the globe? Does this include plans for standardisation of ‘plus’ grades and expansion to re-refining?
- Increasing sustainability and decarbonisation pressures are at the forefront of everyone’s mind. How is the base oil industry positioning itself and what decarbonization strategies might we see?

Speakers Include:

Torsten Knipping

Sales Manager Base Oils & KAM

Chris Braggs

Basestocks Sales Manager for Europe, Africa & Middle East

Exxon Mobil

12:00 - 12:45

What does re-refining capacity look like around the world?

- Learn how re-refining technology has advanced over recent years and why it is becoming an increasingly appealing and important part of the global base oils economy
- Where are key re-refining hubs located and what is their current capacity? Are there any plans for expansion?
- What factors drive interest in re-refining in different regions – legislation, economics, waste oil availability and more.

Lunch

12:45 - 14:15

Lunch

Argus Asia market update and outlook

14:15 - 14:45

Argus base oils Asia: rising nameplate production capacity and evolving demand dynamics – opportunities from shifting fundamentals in the world’s largest base oil producing region

- How have supply and demand fundamentals changed in Asia?
- What are the repercussions on base oil prices, margins, and spreads?
- How will regional arbitrages change with these developments and what opportunities do they present?

Guo Harn Hong

Global Lead Base Oils

Argus

14:45 - 15:30

Trading toolkit: How are base oils markets in Asia, the Middle East and Africa developing and what opportunities are there for expansion in these markets?

- What is the big picture of Asian and Middle East markets? Understand why these regions are so important to global base oils trade and the opportunities they hold
- How are Groups I,II,II and recycled base oils being impacted in these regions? What groups can we expect to see grow in usage in the future?
- What opportunities are available in develong markets such as Africa for distributors and traders to make their mark on this region?

Nikhil Agarwal

Managing Director

Globestar Energy FZE

Conference concludes

15:45 - 15:50

Conference closing remarks

15:50

Conference concludes