The 18th ICIS Middle Eastern Base Oils and Lubricants Conference will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 17-18 October. The flagship event for the base oils and lubricants sector will, for the first time, also incorporate fuel retail, recognizing its importance as a driver for the market. It presents a valuable opportunity for fuel retail executives to gain insight into how the market is developing and network with peers to share thoughts and ideas about the future.
Sarah Harvey, director, events at ICIS, comments, “We have included fuel retail into the agenda at Middle Eastern Base Oils and Lubricants 2023 as it is so important to the base oils market. Oil companies are recognizing the importance of fuel retail outlets both for their brand positioning and as a driver for sales. We are confident that adding retail to the agenda will facilitate many insightful and meaningful discussions about how this market is developing in the Middle East.”
While base oils only represent a small percentage, about 1%, of the barrel, they are an essential and profitable portion of oil production and automotive is the biggest driver for base oil sales. The fuel retail network and facilities in GCC countries is still relatively in its infancy stage but the area is seeing significant investment from companies including ADNOC, Saudi Aramco, and ENOC.
By incorporating fuel retail, the Middle Eastern Base Oils and Lubricants Conference will cover the full base oils value chain and promote deeper insights into the market and its future growth drivers. The conference will include industry-led topics with high profile speakers, such as Samer Al Hokail, President & CEO, Luberef; Mark Notkin, Chief Innovation Officer at Electromin; Marco Digioia, President at European Association of Lubricants Manufacturers (ATIEL); Dr. George Zhang, Vice President of International R&D at Valvoline, and Alex Aliper, President at Insilico.
Alongside Fuel Retail, discussion topics at the Middle Eastern Base Oils and Lubricants Conference will include a comprehensive outlook for the Middle Eastern market, evolving trends such as sustainability and digitalisation, and a view into global economic trends for base oils.
Harvey concludes, “Modern fuel retail incorporates many different fuel and non-fuel elements. It is a rapidly developing and evolving area, and it makes complete sense to bring retail into the conference as it is an essential part of the base oil supply chain. More integrated and developed fuel stations will encourage retail sales and promote the use of well-maintained vehicles in the region. This will support ambitions for growth and sustainability towards targets such as Saudi 2030 and further increase demand for fuel, oils and lubricants.”
To find out more about the 18th Middle Eastern Base Oils and Lubricants Conference and to register for the event, please visit https://events.icis.com/website/8329/
