Kuwait Petroleum to manufacture lubricants for Russia’s Gazpromneft-Lubricants in Antwerp

Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI), a part of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, has signed a partnership agreement to produce lubricants for Gazpromneft-Lubricants, the operator of Russia’s Gazprom Neft lubricant business.

Gazpromneft-Lubricants controls 15% of the Russian lubricant market and also operates in the CIS and the Baltic, Europe, Central and Southeast Asia, Africa, South America and beyond. All in all, the company’s products are available in 72 countries.

KPI is specialized in the development and manufacture of lubricants, with three lube blending facilities. KPI’s lube blending plant in Antwerp, Belgium, is one of the largest and most advanced in Europe, following a USD100 million modernization programme that has doubled the plant’s capacity and created state-of-the-art facilities. In recent years, toll blending has become a significant part of KPI’s business.

Gazpromneft-Lubricants will have access to KPI’s lube blending facilities in Antwerp, a well-organized logistics system and the opportunity to use the deep industry expertise of its partner in producing its own brand of Gazpromneft lubricants such as G-Energy and Gazpromneft Ocean products.

“Due to the growing demand for our company’s production and geographic expansion in Western and Northern European markets, it was decided to launch the project for foreign production development through cooperation with a leading European manufacturing partner. Kuwait Petroleum International is one of the largest lubricant manufacturers in Europe, our cooperation is the most important step in the implementation of our global strategy for the Gazprom Neft international lubricant business development,” said Alexander Trukhan, general director, Gazpromneft-Lubricants.

Following a “long but fruitful discussions,” Frank Rouwens, general manager of Kuwait Petroleum International – Q8Oils, said “this is only the beginning of a long-lasting cooperation that will bring many advantages for all stakeholders involved.”

Gazpromneft-Lubricants Ltd., a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, manufactures lubricants and related products at six sites in Russia, Italy and Serbia. Total production volume is more than 500,000 tons of high-quality oils, greases and technical fluids per year. Its Omsk Lubricant Plant (OZSM) has Russia’s most advanced process line for the blending, filling and packaging of lubricants, with total annual blending capacity of 300,000 tons.