Group 6 base oil is here!

Status
Not open for further replies.

Patman

Staff member
Joined
May 27, 2002
Messages
22,186
Location
Guelph, Ontario
quote:

Europeans Adopt 6th Base Oil Group

By Tim Sullivan

The Technical Association of the European Lubricants Industry -- ATIEL -- this summer adopted a definition for a sixth group of lubricating base stocks: polyinternalolefins. The initiative was driven by South African energy company Sasol, which produces PIOs and states that they offer performance similar to polyalphaolefins.

“In terms of chemical composition, they’re not very different from PAOs,” said Massimo Ciali, global market manager of lubricants for Sasol’s Olefins and Surfactants division. “And they act very similarly in lubricants.” Ciali noted that the definition adopted by the association included base oil interchange guidelines. Sasol hopes the definition and guidelines make it easier for lube formulators to substitute PIOs for PAOs. The guidelines allow interchange of PIOs with each other and with PAOs without the need for additional engine tests.

ATIEL maintains definitions of base stock categories which, except for the new Group VI category, are identical to those maintained by the American Petroleum Institute for North America. Groups I, II and III represent mineral based oils with increasingly stringent limits for aromatics, viscosity index and sulfur content. Group IV is for PAOs, while Group V is a catchall for any base stocks that do not fall into the other categories.

PIOs are similar to PAOs in that they are synthetic linear chains of alphaolefins. Ciali said Sasol convinced ATIEL that it made sense to define a new category in order to reduce the amount of testing required of formulators trying to license motor oils that contain PIOs.

Information about the association’s definition is available at www.atiel.org

 
Shell has been synthesizing these fluids for about 5 years. Haven't seen any good research papers for over three years.

Somehere on the BITOG database I had given some background info on these oils; a summary of the Shell technical paper.
 
I"m surprised Shell doesn't make a kick @ss synthetic, or do they? They seem to be a big powerhouse like ExxonMobil.
 
quote:

Originally posted by buster:
I"m surprised Shell doesn't make a kick @ss synthetic, or do they? They seem to be a big powerhouse like ExxonMobil.

Kick a$$? How about the Helix Ultra 10w60 that retails for sixty bucks a quart at Ferrari dealers?

Seriously, the Helix Ultra oils are top notch. The base oil blend is primarily PAO, with some esters and a good dose of XHVI.
 
quote:

How about the Helix Ultra 10w60 that retails for sixty bucks a quart at Ferrari dealers

Ahhh ok, so they do make one. Nice. I wish they sold it retail.
cheers.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top