Sourcing mineral compressor oils from China

Duty on mineral compressor oils

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2710 covers petroleum oils other than crude, qualifying petroleum-based preparations and waste oils. This guide concerns unused mineral compressor oils and their base-oil inputs. Confirm the commodity code from the formulation and intended use. See lubricants and motor oils for the wider heading. For hydraulic applications, see our mineral hydraulic oil sourcing guide.

Finished mineral compressor oils under 2710 19 81 90 carry 2% duty from China. The selected lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. The table also includes base-oil inputs under 2710 19 81 30, 2710 19 99 40 and 2710 19 99 60: their ordinary rate is 2%, with 0% suspensions for qualifying products. Those suspensions exclude mixtures and preparations, so do not apply them to finished blended compressor oils.

The selected lines attach an import control on restricted goods and technologies. Importing heading 2710 oil processed in China from Russian crude is prohibited unless appropriately licensed. Ask for supplier or refinery attestations supporting crude-oil origin, and have your customs broker check the sanctions position before shipment.

Specify the compressor application and oil formulation

Identify the compressor model, whether it is screw or reciprocating, the compressed gas, operating conditions and the maker's lubricant specification. Agree the viscosity grade, base-oil identity, additive package and compatibility with seals and the existing lubricant. Request evidence for oxidation resistance, deposit control, foam behaviour and water separation where these matter to the application.

Set batch acceptance limits for kinematic viscosity, viscosity index, flash point, water and cleanliness. Require a certificate of analysis linked to each production batch and written approval before the blender changes the base oil or additives. Compare a production sample with the approved sample rather than accepting a generic product brochure.

For hazardous oils, confirm with HSE whether the supplier must provide a safety data sheet. Ask for an English version suitable for Great Britain and settle the hazard label against the classification. Labels and packaging must be correct before supply to the Great Britain market. Review UK REACH registration per substance and per legal entity before ordering.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 4 tonnes of finished mineral compressor oil in drums under 2710 19 81 90, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,800. Duty at 2% is £116. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,916, so it is £1,183.20. Import taxes total £1,299.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £116 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Batch identity: match drum markings, formulation reference and batch numbers to the certificate of analysis and retain sealed samples.

Oil properties: independently check viscosity, flash point and water against the agreed specification; examine samples for sediment and visible contamination.

Application performance: review test evidence for foam, water separation and deposit control against the compressor's operating conditions.

Drums and documents: check closures, seals, leakage and declared contents on arrival; match hazard labels to the safety data sheet and retain origin attestations. See quality inspection.

What goes wrong

Orders can fail when the supplier substitutes a different base oil or additive package while retaining the same viscosity label. An oil can meet its viscosity target yet lack the agreed foam or deposit-control performance. Water, dirt and leaking closures create separate problems, so test batch properties and inspect the packaging.

A Chinese blending address does not establish the origin of the crude oil. Resolve missing supply-chain evidence before shipment. Also check that a base-oil suspension has not been applied to a finished blend, and that the safety data sheet describes the formulation actually supplied.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.