According to the October 15 edition of Jobbers World Online News Brief, selected ExxonMobil synthetic products have been put on allocation effective October 1, 2008. The announcement explained, “ExxonMobil marketers (and direct served customers) were advised that allocation of Mobil 1 lubricants will take effect October 1 as a result of Hurricane Ike causing significant disruptions to supply lines to ExxonMobil Chemical’s (EMC) Beaumont, TX plant.” They went on to state, “According to marketers, the allocation is expected to last several months and impact availability of most Mobil 1 lubricants. Allocations are said to range from 15% to 100% based on lubricant type and package.” The article also implied that if you went to a local store and looked at the retail shelves at lunch time today, you might find the lubricant section slightly less stocked than normal already.
