White Oil Market Size and Share

White Oil Market Summary

White Oil Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence

The global white oil market stood at 1.51 million tons in 2025 and is projected to expand to 1.61 million tons by 2030, reflecting a 1.25% CAGR over 2025-2030. Quiet topline growth conceals fast-moving shifts in product purity demands, regional sourcing strategies, and end-use mix reshaping industry margins. Asia Pacific anchors the white oil market with heavy consumption in personal care, pharmaceuticals, and plastics processing, while Europe steers worldwide quality benchmarks through MOAH/MOSH limits that require higher purity grades. Personal care remains the largest application and the fastest-growing lane, helped by the region’s taste for light, transparent skincare bases. Group II feedstocks dominate supply despite the tighter availability of low-sulfur vacuum gas oil after IMO-2020, driving refiners toward hydro-processing upgrades and selective investments in GTL pathways. Competition stays moderate in concentration, with ExxonMobil, Shell, and Sinopec defending high-purity niches and regional firms carving value in technical grades, especially across India, China, and the Gulf.

Key Report Takeaways

  • By grade, pharmaceuticals accounted for a 66% share of the white oil market size in 2024, and is expanding at a 1.29% CAGR. 
  • By base oil, Group II held 67% of the white oil market size in 2024, rising at a 1.69% CAGR to 2030. 
  • By viscosity, low-viscosity oils captured 51% of the white oil market share in 2024 and are progressing at a 1.35% CAGR. 
  • By application, personal care led with 25% of white oil market share in 2024, advancing at a 2.08% CAGR through 2030. 
  • By geography, Asia Pacific commanded 63% of the white oil market in 2024, advancing at a 1.29% CAGR. 

Segment Analysis

By Grade: Technical Streams Support Scale, Pharmaceutical Grades Capture Margin

Pharmaceutical grade delivered 66% of the white oil market size in 2024. Pharmaceutical-grade oils fetch premiums multiple times above technical variants, yet grow from a smaller base. Compliance with USP, EP, and JP monographs and bacterial endotoxin testing raises entry barriers, concentrating supply among a few global refiners. Demand tracks expansion in biologics, ophthalmic gels, and medical-device lubricants, supporting a 1.29% CAGR over the forecast window. Strategic investment in gas-to-liquids trains gives players such as Shell a differentiation edge thanks to virtually sulfur-free feed.

White Oil Market

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Get Detailed Market Forecasts at the Most Granular Levels
Download PDF

By Base Oil: Group II Sustains Dominance Amid Feedstock Tightness

Group II oils commanded 67% of the white oil market in 2024 and are slated for a 1.69% CAGR through 2030. Hydro-processing removes hetero-atoms, producing colorless, odorless stocks that satisfy most technical and mid-tier pharmaceutical applications. New capacity in Shandong and Yeosu offsets some supply pinch born from IMO-2020’s diversion of sweet crudes into LSFO pools, yet refiners still juggle run plans to protect feedstock streams.

Group III volumes remain lower but edge up as EU and US buyers tighten aromatic thresholds. Heavier hydro-cracking plus isomerization yields base oils under 6 ppm aromatics, suited for food and infant-care uses where MOAH is tightly regulated. Naphthenic oils stay niche, filling low-temperature processing and textile spin-finish roles. Concawe’s research confirms that refining severity rather than crude origin primarily governs the toxicological profile.

By Viscosity: Light Cuts Retain Preference

Low-viscosity grades below 20 cSt at 40 °C represented 51% of the white oil market in 2024 and are pacing at a 1.35% CAGR. They disperse pigments rapidly, spread thinly on skin, and clean easily from equipment, key factors for personal care and pharma plants pursuing shorter turnaround times. Digital viscometry confirms that slight temperature shifts produce steep flow changes, making tight control essential during batching.

Medium-viscosity oils between 20 cSt and 60 cSt balance penetration with film strength, anchoring use in polymer compounding, and textile finishing. High-viscosity grades, less than 10% of volume, deliver tack and longevity where processing chains or lubricated contacts run hot and heavy, such as wire drawing. Each viscosity class sees incremental tightening of color and purity limits as downstream audits grow rigorous.

By Application: Personal Care Leads Growth and Volume

Personal care accounted for 25% of the white oil market share in 2024 and is on course for a 2.08% CAGR to 2030, the strongest among all uses. The segment benefits from consumer preference for transparent, hypoallergenic bases that disperse actives evenly and leave minimal residue. The growing popularity of gel-cream formats in the Asia Pacific keeps demand tilted toward low-viscosity grades. Ingredient suppliers emphasize white oils' non-comedogenic profile and oxidation stability when paired with retinoids and ceramides.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE import high-purity lots to feed new fill-finish lines under Vision 2030 programs. Presence in regulated drug dossiers secures stable, price-inflexible volume that supports margins across cycles. Consequently, the white oil market size attributed to pharmaceutical applications stands resilient against shifts in discretionary spending.

White Oil Market

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Get Detailed Market Forecasts at the Most Granular Levels
Download PDF

Geography Analysis

Asia Pacific owns 63% of the white oil market in 2024, with China, India, and South Korea combining heavy draw from personal care, pharmaceutical fill-finish, and polymer processing. Regional suppliers escalate hydrotreater throughput, yet rising quality specs keep premium imports attractive for drug and infant-nutrition plants. Government stimulus for advanced manufacturing, plus demographic expansion, sustains a 1.29% CAGR for the region.

Europe follows at a distance but wields outsized regulatory influence. Implementation of MOAH caps reshapes grade definitions globally, prompting multinational converters to standardize on European purity even for factories in Latin America and Africa. The region also consumes higher shares of pharmaceutical and topical personal-care oils, supported by aging populations and innovation in derma-cosmetics.

North America holds a stable slice, pivoting toward premium and sustainable options. Infant-formula producers trial bio-based crop-ester plasticizers, trimming mineral oil content in packaging. Nevertheless, stringent FDA references to USP and EP monographs keep pharmaceutical-grade demand unwavering. United States-based refiners benefit from shale-derived feed but face rising costs to desulfurize residual streams.

White Oil Market
Get Analysis on Important Geographic Markets
Download PDF

Competitive Landscape

The white oil market features moderate fragmentation. Global majors ExxonMobil, Shell plc, and China Petrochemical Corporation maintain integrated refining and distribution chains that secure constant feedstocks and drive innovation in low-aromatic products. Strategic moves center on backward integration, purity-driven line extensions and regional blending hubs. 

White Oil Industry Leaders

  1. Exxon Mobil Corporation

  2. China Petrochemical Corporation

  3. Shell plc

  4. HF Sinclair Corporation

  5. Calumet, Inc.

  6. *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
White Oil Market Concentration
Need More Details on Market Players and Competitors?
Download PDF

Recent Industry Developments

  • June 2025: Brenntag SE and Exxon Mobil Corporation signed a distribution agreement for white oils to expand to regions such as DACH, CEE, and the Baltics to include Iberia, the Netherlands, and Israel.
  • December 2024: APAR Industries signed an MoU with Saudi Aramco Base Oil Company, named Luberef, to study a transformer oil and white-oil plant at the LubeHub complex in Yanbu.

Table of Contents for White Oil Industry Report

1. Introduction

  • 1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
  • 1.2 Scope of the Study

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Landscape

  • 4.1 Market Overview
  • 4.2 Market Drivers
    • 4.2.1 Surge in APAC Biologics Fill-finish Lines Demanding USP-grade White Oils
    • 4.2.2 Europe MOAH/MOSH Limits Accelerating Switch to Food-grade White Oils in Packaging
    • 4.2.3 Indian Ayurvedic Cosmetics Boom Fuelling Light-paraffinic White-oil Usage
    • 4.2.4 Expansion in Polymer and Plastic Processing
    • 4.2.5 GCC Pharma Capacity Build-out Boosting Imports of High-purity Grades
  • 4.3 Market Restraints
    • 4.3.1 EU Micro-plastic Directive Curbing Mineral-oil Based Cosmetic Formulations
    • 4.3.2 North-American Infant-food Players Pivoting to Bio-based Esters
    • 4.3.3 IMO-2020 Sulfur Caps Tightening High-quality Feedstock Supply
  • 4.4 Value Chain Analysis
  • 4.5 Porter's Five Forces
    • 4.5.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
    • 4.5.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
    • 4.5.3 Threat of New Entrants
    • 4.5.4 Threat of Substitutes
    • 4.5.5 Competitive Rivalry
  • 4.6 Distribution Channel Analysis
  • 4.7 Factors Affecting Purchase Decisions

5. Market Size and Growth Forecasts (Volume)

  • 5.1 By Grade
    • 5.1.1 Technical/Industrial Grade
    • 5.1.2 Pharmaceutical
  • 5.2 By Base-Oil
    • 5.2.1 Group I
    • 5.2.2 Group II
    • 5.2.3 Group III
    • 5.2.4 Naphthenic
  • 5.3 By Viscosity
    • 5.3.1 Low
    • 5.3.2 Medium
    • 5.3.3 High
  • 5.4 By Application
    • 5.4.1 Plastics and Elastomers
    • 5.4.2 Adhesives
    • 5.4.3 Personal Care
    • 5.4.4 Pharmaceuticals
    • 5.4.5 Food and Beverage
    • 5.4.6 Agriculture
    • 5.4.7 Textile
    • 5.4.8 Metalworking Applications
    • 5.4.9 Other Applications (Household Products)
  • 5.5 By Geography
    • 5.5.1 Asia-Pacific
    • 5.5.1.1 China
    • 5.5.1.2 India
    • 5.5.1.3 Japan
    • 5.5.1.4 South Korea
    • 5.5.1.5 Rest of Asia-Pacific
    • 5.5.2 North America
    • 5.5.2.1 United States
    • 5.5.2.2 Canada
    • 5.5.2.3 Mexico
    • 5.5.3 Europe
    • 5.5.3.1 Germany
    • 5.5.3.2 United Kingdom
    • 5.5.3.3 Italy
    • 5.5.3.4 France
    • 5.5.3.5 Nordics
    • 5.5.3.6 Rest of Europe
    • 5.5.4 South America
    • 5.5.4.1 Brazil
    • 5.5.4.2 Argentina
    • 5.5.4.3 Rest of South America
    • 5.5.5 Middle-East and Africa
    • 5.5.5.1 Saudi Arabia
    • 5.5.5.2 Rest of Africa
    • 5.5.5.3 Rest of Middle-East and Africa

6. Competitive Landscape

  • 6.1 Market Concentration
  • 6.2 Strategic Moves
  • 6.3 Market Share Analysis
  • 6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global-level Overview, Market-level Overview, Core Segments, Financials, Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share, Products and Services, Recent Developments)
    • 6.4.1 Apar Industries Ltd.
    • 6.4.2 Asian Oil Company
    • 6.4.3 BP p.l.c
    • 6.4.4 Brenntag SE
    • 6.4.5 Calumet, Inc.
    • 6.4.6 Chevron Corporation
    • 6.4.7 China Petrochemical Corporation
    • 6.4.8 Exxon Mobil Corporation
    • 6.4.9 Gandhar Oil Refinery (India) Limited
    • 6.4.10 H&R GROUP
    • 6.4.11 HF Sinclair Corporation
    • 6.4.12 Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited
    • 6.4.13 LANXESS
    • 6.4.14 Nynas AB
    • 6.4.15 PetroChina Company Limited
    • 6.4.16 RENKERT OIL
    • 6.4.17 Sasol
    • 6.4.18 SAVITA OIL TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    • 6.4.19 SEOJIN CHEMICAL CO.,LTD.
    • 6.4.20 Shell plc
    • 6.4.21 Sonneborn LLC
    • 6.4.22 TotalEnergies

7. Market Opportunities and Future Outlook

  • 7.1 White-space and Unmet-Need Assessment
  • 7.2 Increasing Usage from Textiles and Apparel Industry
You Can Purchase Parts Of This Report. Check Out Prices For Specific Sections
Get Price Break-up Now

Research Methodology Framework and Report Scope

Market Definitions and Key Coverage

Our study defines the white oil market as freshly produced, highly refined paraffinic or naphthenic mineral oils that are colorless, tasteless, odorless, and hydrophobic, delivered in either pharmaceutical or technical purity for use across personal care, pharmaceutical, polymer, adhesive, food-processing, textile, agricultural, and metalworking applications. We quantify only primary sales in volume terms.

Scope exclusion: In line with our scope, we exclude silicone-based or synthetic ester white lubricants and finished consumer blends containing white oil.

Segmentation Overview
  • By Grade
    • Technical/Industrial Grade
    • Pharmaceutical
  • By Base-Oil
    • Group I
    • Group II
    • Group III
    • Naphthenic
  • By Viscosity
    • Low
    • Medium
    • High
  • By Application
    • Plastics and Elastomers
    • Adhesives
    • Personal Care
    • Pharmaceuticals
    • Food and Beverage
    • Agriculture
    • Textile
    • Metalworking Applications
    • Other Applications (Household Products)
  • By Geography
    • Asia-Pacific
      • China
      • India
      • Japan
      • South Korea
      • Rest of Asia-Pacific
    • North America
      • United States
      • Canada
      • Mexico
    • Europe
      • Germany
      • United Kingdom
      • Italy
      • France
      • Nordics
      • Rest of Europe
    • South America
      • Brazil
      • Argentina
      • Rest of South America
    • Middle-East and Africa
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Rest of Africa
      • Rest of Middle-East and Africa

Detailed Research Methodology and Data Validation

Primary Research

We spoke with refinery process engineers, specialty-oil distributors, cosmetics formulators, and pharmaceutical excipient buyers in Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe. Conversations on contract grades, viscosity shifts, and demand outlooks filled information gaps and confirmed secondary findings before modeling.

Desk Research

We began with public datasets from the US Energy Information Administration, Eurostat PRODCOM, UN Comtrade HS codes 27101985/87, and purity standards from the USP and European Pharmacopoeia, which frame what qualifies as marketable white oil. Our team next reviewed customs notifications, refinery throughput tables, and sector reports from bodies such as the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and the Indian Chemical Council.

We validated trade flows by pairing those statistics with price and capacity intelligence drawn from D&B Hoovers, Dow Jones Factiva, and Asia Metal. These references illustrate the range of open sources consulted, and many additional databases and technical journals further supported cross-checks.

Market-Sizing & Forecasting

A top-down reconstruction of regional base-oil production and net trade balances was built, then tested through selective bottom-up checks of supplier shipment samples and typical ex-refinery average selling prices. Key variables include Group II base-oil output, plasticizer demand in polymer extrusion, registered pharmaceutical excipient volumes, cosmetics production indices, and industrial white-oil penetration rates. Forecasts to 2030 employ ARIMA time-series fitted to these drivers and refined by scenario inputs from interviewed experts.

Data Validation & Update Cycle

Mordor analysts compare modeled volumes with refinery utilization, import invoices, and quarterly earnings disclosures. Variances trigger reruns and senior review. Reports refresh each year, with mid-cycle updates for material events, and every delivery undergoes a fresh consistency check.

Why Mordor's White Oil Baseline Commands Informed Decision-Maker Confidence

Published estimates often diverge because firms adopt different purity thresholds, measurement units, and update cadences. Our disciplined scope selection, dual-step validation, and yearly refresh narrow these gaps and anchor decisions on transparent evidence.

Key gap drivers include other publishers valuing revenues instead of tonnage, rolling synthetic lubricants into scope, or assuming aggressive annual price inflation that our conservative ARIMA path tempers.

Benchmark comparison

Market Size Anonymized source Primary gap driver
1.51 million tons (2025) Mordor Intelligence
USD 2.25 billion (2025) Global Consultancy A Values revenue, omits technical grade so price base is higher
USD 3.48 billion (2025) Industry Journal B Merges synthetic white lubricants and builds forecasts on 6% annual ASP escalation

These contrasts show that Mordor's transparent variables and cross-checks produce a balanced, reproducible baseline that clients can trace to public statistics and real-world insight.

Need A Different Region or Segment?
Customize Now

Key Questions Answered in the Report

What is the current size of the white oil market?

The white oil market size is 1.51 million tons in 2025 and is forecast to reach 1.61 million tons by 2030.

Which application segment leads in the white oil market?

Personal care leads with 25% share and is also the fastest-growing segment at a 2.08% CAGR through 2030.

Why are Group II base oils dominant in white-oil production?

Group II feedstocks strike the optimal balance of purity, performance and cost, giving them 67% share of supply in 2024 and underpinning a 1.69% CAGR.

How do EU MOAH/MOSH rules influence the global white oil market?

The upcoming MOAH caps force packaging and food companies worldwide to adopt higher-purity white oils that meet EU thresholds, effectively raising quality standards across regions.

Page last updated on:

Castor Oil Industry

White Oil Report Snapshots