Brazil's base oil production in October dropped by 62pc from a year earlier on unplanned refinery maintenance.
The country produced 22,515m³ (20,265 metric tonnes) in October, down from 52,370m³ a year earlier, according to oil and gas regulator ANP. Compared with September, output in October was down by 55pc.
January-October production totaled 439,415m³, down by 6pc from the same period last year.
State-controlled Petrobras' 239,000 b/d Reduc refinery in southeastern Rio de Janeiro state began unplanned maintenance in September that extended into October. The refinery's output fell in October to 17,180m³, a 65pc decrease from the same month last year and a 10pc drop from September. Still, Reduc was responsible for 76pc of Brazil's total October production.
Output in Petrobras' 8,000 b/d Lubnor naphthenic base oil unit rose to 5,338m³, up more than sixfold from October 2022 and up by 22pc from September. Lubnor produced 24pc of Brazil's base oils.
The 300,000 b/d Mataripe refinery — owned by Acelen, the Brazilian refining subsidiary of Abu Dhabi's Mubadala — did not produce base oils in October because of planned maintenance. It produced 2,240m³ in October last year and 1,965m³ in September.
