Is our oil the same now as Pre-Katrina?

[martyi]

It has been a little more than a year since the hurricane Katrina hit us. I recall reading here at that time that Post Katrina motor oil would be different than Pre Katrina due to supply shortages of additives or whatever. Some members even felt that the oil we had been using would now be of a lessor quality. Is the oil and add packs we have today the same as Post Katrina or have the formulations returned as they were Pre Katrina?

 

[mechtech2]

Good question. I stocked up a bit on pre Katrrina oil at the time. [read the date code on the jug]
I think the relaxed standards for fuel and oil are over, now, but I'm not certain.

 

[Iain]

quote:

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It has been a little more than a year since the hurricane Katrina hit us. I recall reading here at that time that Post Katrina motor oil would be different than Pre Katrina due to supply shortages of additives or whatever. Some members even felt that the oil we had been using would now be of a lessor quality. Is the oil and add packs we have today the same as Post Katrina or have the formulations returned as they were Pre Katrina?

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I believe a definitive answer to this question could only be given by oil companies to employees on a need-to-know basis. Therefore, all you will get here is speculation.

That said, what is known is that post-Katrina oil had only starburst on front label for months afterward. No API doughnut on rear label.

Then suddenly around March or April 2006 the doughnut returned en masse. Based on that, I will speculate that most oil is now back to pre-Katrina formulation.

At least as far as Mobil 1 are concerned.

 

[martyi]

Hum, interesting about that doughnut thing. Maybe that is a code of sorts; it has to mean something. Maybe the only way to know if formulations are the same now as they were before Katrina (insider information notwithstanding) would be to match VOA results of today's oils with those run Pre Katrina.