Argus Media
Argus Media
Argus Media
Base Oils in Focus as Diesel Margins Dominate
18 minutes Posted Jun 16, 2026 at 9:42 am.
0:00
18:00
Download MP3
Show notes
In this episode, George Maher-Bonnett (Deputy Editor — European Products Report) speaks with Josh Michalowski (Reporter — European Diesel & Gasoil) and Gabriella Twining (Global Editor — Base Oils and Waxes) about the refining tug-of-war between diesel and base oils. They discuss how record diesel cracks have been driving refiners’ decisions, how supply resilience is masking structural risks, and why the summer driving season could deepen a squeeze across the lubricants chain.
 
Key themes:
 
Diesel cracks: $46/bbl in June, more than double seasonal norms
Refiners prioritise middle distillates over base oils despite uplift
Group 3 imports collapse after Gulf supply halts, pushing prices to records
Summer demand risk: strong diesel runs vs tightening base oil availability