Report

Colombia Lubricants Market Analysis

The Colombia Lubricants Market is expected to grow from 301.17 million liters in 2025 to 312.61 million liters in 2026 and is forecast to reach 376.7 million liters by 2031 at 3.80% CAGR over 2026-2031. The near-term uplift is tied to an expanding vehicle parc, a 26% spike in motorcycle sales in July 2024, and mining and power-generation capital spending that is now firmly back on pre-pandemic trend lines. Automotive applications, led by engine oil, continue to anchor volume, yet industrial lubricants are setting the pace as heavy mobile equipment in coal and gold operations demands higher-performance fluids. Synthetic adoption is accelerating because dealership warranty programs mandate premium formulations, while bio-based lubricants are transitioning from the pilot phase to early commercialization, thanks to palm-oil tax incentives. Competitive intensity remains moderate: Terpel leverages a nationwide retail footprint, Shell and Chevron extend OEM-approved lines, and ExxonMobil utilizes condition-monitoring services to differentiate itself. Cost pressures persist because Colombian blenders rely on imported Group II and Group III base stocks that remain in short supply on the US Gulf Coast; yet, distributors have managed to pass through much of the increase without losing market share.

Colombia Lubricants Market Trends and Insights



Recovering Vehicle and Motorcycle Parc Drives Lubricant Demand

Vehicle registrations climbed steadily throughout 2024, while motorcycle sales jumped 26% year-over-year in July, signaling a return to routine maintenance cycles that directly lift lubricant throughput. Commuters in Bogota, Medellin, and Cali depend heavily on two-wheelers, so every new unit adds frequent oil-change demand across the aftermarket channel. Engine oil maintains the largest slice of the Colombia lubricants market because drain-interval compliance remains low, prompting workshops to recommend shorter service windows. Rising household income, accessible financing, and improved employment have pushed passenger vehicle purchases above the 2019 baseline, reinforcing baseline demand. Commercial fleets are also back in growth mode as last-mile delivery operators expand coverage, requiring high-mileage diesel engine oils. Overall, the expanding parc underpins a structural floor that supports the 3.84% headline CAGR.

Industrial CAPEX Rebound in Mining and Power

Coal miners Drummond and Cerrejon posted 2024 revenues of COP 16.5 trillion and COP 7.4 trillion, respectively, and are channeling these cash flows into haul-truck engine overhauls, dragline refurbishments, and conveyor upgrades, all of which consume specialty hydraulic fluids and gear oils. In the power sector, Ecopetrol earmarked 76% of its COP 24-28 trillion 2025 budget for hydrocarbon and gas-fired assets, boosting turbine-oil and transformer-fluid usage. Mining projects in Cesar, La Guajira, and Antioquia increasingly adopt condition-based lubrication schedules that favor premium synthetics capable of longer drains. Equipment cycles now run closer to OEM duty-hour ceilings, so operators choose higher-viscosity-index oils to mitigate temperature spikes. These investment flows are the main reason industrial lubricants are the fastest-growing application in the Colombia lubricants market.

Rising Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Penetration

EV registrations surged 267% in 2024, as fiscal incentives reduced sticker prices by up to COP 50 million and public charging stations surpassed 1,000 units nationwide. Pure battery EVs eliminate crankcase oil and require limited gearbox lubricants, reducing per-vehicle lubricant demand by approximately 70%. Hybrids mitigate the drop but still extend service intervals well beyond 20,000 km. Municipal taxi fleets in Bogota plan to shift 50% of their purchases to electric powertrains by 2027, accelerating volume erosion in the urban aftermarket. While the overall parc remains overwhelmingly internal-combustion through 2030, the exponential growth curve for electrified drivetrains acts as a ceiling on long-run growth for the Colombia lubricants market.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

OEM-Backed Warranty Programs for Premium SyntheticsPalm-Oil Tax Incentive Driving Bio-LubricantsStructural Shortage of Group II/III Base Oils and Additives

For complete list of drivers and restraints, kindly check the Table Of Contents.

Segment Analysis

Engine oils generated a 48.45% share of the Colombia lubricants market size in 2025 and remain the anchor of nationwide consumption, thanks to a passenger-car parc that now exceeds 6 million units. Drain intervals of 5,000-8,000 km remain the norm because workshops continue to tie service events to warranty compliance, locking in high frequency. Transmission fluids, while a smaller base, are expanding at a 4.68% CAGR due to rising automatic gear-box penetration in new sedan and SUV sales. Heavy-duty diesel engine oils for mining haul trucks and long-haul freight corridors command premium prices because OEMs stipulate CK-4 or FA-4 formulations that withstand high-soot environments. As synthetic shares climb, process oils and metalworking fluids gain indirect momentum via downstream industrial growth in textiles, plastics, and fabricated metals. The Colombia lubricants market maintains a broad product portfolio, yet engine oils are expected to retain the largest volume share through 2031.

The upgrade cycle from API SN to SP and from ACEA A3/B4 to C3 specifications prompts formulators to adopt lower-volatility base stocks and advanced antioxidant packages. In motorcycles, 10W-40 JASO MA2 oils dominate because they lubricate both engine and wet clutch, aligning with the large two-wheeler population. Gear oils benefit from underground mining activity in Antioquia, where extreme shock-load conditions require ISO 320-460 formulations with enhanced micro-pitting resistance. Brake fluids, greases, and coolants provide steady, replacement-rate volume with minimal growth but reliable cash flow. Cumulatively, product-specific dynamics illustrate why the Colombia lubricants market continues to expand at a measured pace despite emerging EV headwinds.

The Colombia Lubricants Market Report is Segmented by Product Type (Automotive Engine Oil, Industrial Engine Oil, Transmission Fluids, Gear Oil, Brake Fluids, Hydraulic Fluids, Greases, Process Oil, and More), End-User Industry (Automotive, Marine, Aerospace, Industrial, and More), Base Stock Type (Mineral Oil-Based, Synthetic, Semi-Synthetic, and Bio-Based). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Volume (Liters).

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

BP plc Chevron Corporation Exxon Mobil Corporation (Terpel) Gulf Oil International Limited Motul Organization Terpel S.A. Petrobras Petromil SAS Primax Colombia S.A. Shell plc TotalEnergies Uno Lubricants Valvoline Inc.

Additional Benefits:

The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
3 months of analyst support