Viewpoint

Can Group 1 base oil come back?

The impact of the lower crude prices on the global base oil markets

The global lubricants and base oil markets have had a challenging start to the new millennium. Annual growth has, on
average, been well below global GDP growth due to technology improvements in transportation and industry. Furthermore,
changing standards are leading to a gradual replacement of Group I-based products to Group II- and III-based products,
resulting in plant closures around the world.
However, the lower oil prices might lead to temporary relief for Group I producers and an additional boost for the entire
industry.
The global economy is benefiting from declining oil prices due to the higher economic multiplier in the typically poorer oilimporting countries. Consequently, base oil consumption in the transportation sector, as an example, will increase through
both growing purchasing power (new and second-hand car sales) and increasing car usage. Even though transportation
fuel is a commodity with a low elasticity of around 0.1, the current steep drop in oil prices implies a demand increase of
up to 5% over the next few years. This boost is expected to be especially prominent in developing countries, and could
potentially (temporarily) curb the decline in Group I base oil demand. It could also mean the rebirth of Europe, which will
not only benefit from much lower oil prices, but also see the export of Group I products rise.

What is the global oil market outlook?

Many factors balance the supply-and-demand equation for oil
price. Some have permanent impact (e.g. EOR, alternative
resources), while others have temporary effects (e.g.
geopolitical events, global economic status). Some can be
controlled (e.g. investments in infrastructure, field development),
while others are uncontrollable (e.g. natural disasters, oil
reserves). The recent overproduction of oil led to the price
decline: prices halved within a few months at the end of 2014
and dipped below the 30-year average (52 USD per barrel), with
a slight recovery during Q2 2015.
Oil reserves have never been as high as they currently are (1.7
trillion barrels in 2014). Although conventional oil reserves have
been declining since 2005, this decline has been continuously
offset by the rise of unconventional resources; in 2014, one-third

of the oil supply was provided from unconventional sources. The

drop in conventional oil and the increased dependability on more
expensive, unconventional resources are pushing the marginal
prices of oil higher.
On the other hand, with 2008 being an exception, global oil
demand has witnessed a continuous increase (CAGR of 1.3%
since 2000). The growth of emerging markets and their thirst
for oil have been partially offset by the successful efforts
introduced by the OECD countries to lower their consumption
(i.e. alternative energies, public awareness campaigns
OECD demand reduction of -0.5% since 2000 [CAGR]). More
specifically, the growth of the transportation sector and the
further development of the petrochemicals industry are the main
drivers of this demand surge in the developing world.

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Figure 1: Full-cycle average production costs

120
100

Full-cycle average
cost (US$ per barrel)

80
60

50 US$/barrel price
38

40
20
0

40

43

50 52

55 58

60

93
80
73 85
70
65

100

22
Production,
Million b/d
0
10
Saudi Arabia

Source:

20
30
other OPEC

40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
Russia Kazakhstan
Others EOR
Brasil
US excl. Shale China
Nigeria Onshore
US Shale
Norway
Mexico Venezuela
Other Non-OPEC Canada Oil Sands

Arthur D. Little including published data from IEA

Current oil prices are below the average marginal production

costs for more than one-third of the total oil produced daily.
Consequently, in order to enable profitable production, prices
are expected to crawl back to higher levels and remain between
60-80 USD per barrel for the next several years. This has
occurred during the first half of 2015, although the picture is
volatile and further supply shocks could push the prices below
this value.

Recap of global base oil trends

Since the early 20th century, base oil production has been
dominated by Group I. This dominance is now entering its final
stage as a significant drop in demand is expected, mainly in
Europe and North America, due to the shift towards Groups II
and III. Nevertheless, Group I will remain the dominant base oil
for lubricant blending until at least 2020, and demand for Groups
II and III combined is forecast to exceed Group I demand by
2030.
Figure 2: The future focus on Groups II and III is justified by
the drastic changes observed in demand patterns
Group I is forecast to decline at ~1%, while Group III
is expected to grow at ~9% YoY

The substitution of Group I is driven by the need for betterquality products in the transportation sector. Governments are
pressuring for increased concern about the environment and
better fuel economy. Technologies in the automotive sector and
in base oil production are fulfilling the regulations: efforts are
being invested in the transportation sector to multiply exhaust
gas treatments and roll out advanced engine technologies.
Similarly, lubricant producers are also increasingly manufacturing
cleaner and better-quality base oil with lower SAPS, higher
viscosity and lower volatility.
Therefore, despite Asian demand offsetting the situation slightly,
the declining demand for Group I will lead producers to operate
well below acceptable utilization levels (currently maintained
around 70%). This, coupled with an increase in the production
costs per barrel due to higher allocations of fixed costs, will
result in lower margins and create significant pressure for
rationalization of Group I capacities.
This evolving trend is further confirmed by the fact that all
(announced) future base oil capacity additions are exclusively in
Groups II and III, as observed mainly in the Middle East, and the
expected rationalization of Group I capacity in Europe and North
America, as exemplified by the planned plant closures (e.g.
for 2015, Stanlow [England], Colas [France], Total (Gonfreville)
[France]) in Europe.
In summary, Europe is shifting its position from a net exporter
to a net importer, due to suffering directly from lower demand
for Group I oil. At the same time, the Middle East and Asia will
become major base oil exporters due to their new Group II and
Group III capacity.

Figure 3: Europe is therefore shifting from net exporter to net

importer, replaced by the Middle East, which is
aggressively marking its territory in this industry
Net Base Oil Trade [m tpa]

Base Oil Demand by API Group [m tpa]

Other (Naphtenics/Group IV)

Group III

Group II

Group I

34

2.1%

36

8.6%
3.6%

-1.1%

Net Importer

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

40

44

2010

2020

Source: Purvin and Gertz, Arthur D. Little analysis

2 Can Group 1 base oil come back?

2030

2020

2030

3
2
1

-1
-2
-3
R.O.W.

2005

2010

0
Net Exporter

50
45
40

2000

CAGR [%] 20052030

AsiaPacific

Europe

Source: Purvin and Gertz, Arthur D. Little analysis

Middle
East

North
America

Viewpoint

How will the current oil prices impact the dynamics

of the base oil industry?

power and the sale of new cars that require higher-quality

lubricants.

Triggered by the declining oil prices, the global economy will

witness enhanced growth due to a higher economic multiplier in
oil-importing countries.

In addition to the growth of ground transportation, the aviation,

commercial road transport and other transportation sub-sectors
will also experience slight positive effects (lower cost, higher
GDP).

The end market of base oil will experience several changes,

mainly pertaining to the transportation sector, as the growth of
oil consumption will accelerate as a result of both an increased
number of automobiles (new and second-hand) and a higher
average per capita usage of vehicles. This will happen on the
back of, firstly, wealth transfer from oil-exporting to oil-importing
countries, which will push global car demand car sales
forecasts show an additional 5 to7 million units in a short time
frame, precisely due to this effect. Secondly, car usage will
increase due to lower concern over fuel prices and substitution
of public transportation kilometers with car kilometers. The
normally low elasticity of transportation fuel will, in this case,
driven by the steep, sustained decline in oil prices, result
in substantial increase of fuel usage, and hence the use of
lubricants.
All API groups are expected to benefit from the declining prices
in the medium term. Group I will be boosted in non-OECD
countries, in which the numbers of used cars, mainly consuming
Group I, will rise with the increased purchasing power. Group II
and III consumption will benefit from the increase in purchasing

3 Can Group 1 base oil come back?

Leading oil-exporting countries, on the other hand, have started

to experience significant revenue shortfalls and launched
revisions of their growth forecasts. Meanwhile, long-term low
oil prices could force them to make difficult economic, social
and political tradeoffs. Those countries might consider making
use of their cheap access to oil to create substantial advantages
downstream.
In summary, the wealth transfer from oil-exporting to oilimporting nations will boost demand for lubricants and base
oils of all groups, and the so-called death of Group I will be
postponed until further notice. European base oil producers
will benefit from additional export of Group I products and
delayed plant closures.
Doubts and uncertainties regarding the attractiveness of base oil
in the era of low oil prices are therefore mostly misplaced. IOCs,
NOCs, investors and oil and gas-associated sectors should
consider the pursuit of opportunities in this field, and depending
on their capabilities and expertise, set long-term plans to ensure
that market fluctuations play in their favor more frequently
than not.

Viewpoint

Contacts
UK

Italy

Stephen Rogers
[email protected]

Katia Valtorta
[email protected]

Americas

Japan

Rodolfo Guzman
[email protected]

Yotaro Akamine
[email protected]

Belgium

Korea

Kurt Baes
[email protected]

Kevin Lee
[email protected]

China

Netherlands

Antoine Doyon
[email protected]

Martjin Eikelenboom
[email protected]

Czech Republic

Spain

Dean Brabec
[email protected]

Salman Ali / David Borras

[email protected] / [email protected]

Germany
Michael Kruse
[email protected]

UAE
Jaap Kalkman
[email protected]

Authors

Arthur D. Little

Jaap Kalkman, Hani Tohme, Sally Menassa, Bassel Berjaoui

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The authors would like to acknowledge Stephen Rogers and

Sameer Anees for valuable input and discussions

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