FTBO - The Next Generation in Base Oil...

[Big O Dave]

Anybody familiar with this?

Fischer Tropsch pdf paper from Exxon Mobil

Maybe our stashes will be obsolete soon...

 

[AEHaas]

I read the paper and liked it. It seems they are trying to develop affordable motor oils that have the highest viscosity index. It seems that all things depend on this number with the object of maintaining normal operating viscosity while minimizing thickening after engine shut-down.

aehaas

 

[Big O Dave]

Thanks for your comments, Dr. Haas.

Here is some more info on FTBO's:

First, a quote from Dave Kramer of ChevronTexaco...

quote:

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By 2007 Fischer Tropsch base oils (FTBOs) should emerge as the next quantum leap in base oil quality. These oils should have higher VIs than PAOs and outperform PAOs and existing Group IIIs in most respects. Because Fischer Tropsch projects are driven by environmental and crude oil production incentives, the volumes of FTBOs produced may greatly exceed the demand for Group III and PAOs. Kline & Company estimates that FTBO supply will swell to 10MM MT, or about 30% of the entire base oil market by 2015.

When FTBOs begin to appear later in this decade, they should first displace high-priced PAOs and Group III oils. However, as volumes exceed about 4MM MT1, they should also begin to displace high-cost Group I and Group II base oils. Therefore, if FTBO projects proceed as planned, existing Group III producers may need to shift to lower cost Group II to stay cost competitive.

Correspondingly, any new base oil producer will be emphasizing cost-competitive products, probably Group II, to survive in the post-FTBO market. Or, more generally, high-cost producers may be squeezed out regardless of their quality leaving only the most cost-competitive
manufacturers.

In any event, the customer will be the ultimate winner. The appearance of high-quality, low-cost base oils will be a windfall to customers who continue to see lubricants exceed their expectations. And as high quality base oils emerge in all regions of the world, although perhaps for different reasons, we may be witnessing the beginning of the globalization of the lubricants business.

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Finally, a Wikipedia article on the Fischer-Tropsch process.

Hope some of you find this as interesting as I have!

 

[MolaKule]

When FTBO bse oils appear, we will be one of the first companies to formulate with them.

I too would prefer to see a PAO like base oil at lower cost.

 

[Big O Dave]

quote:

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Originally posted by MolaKule:
When FTBO bse oils appear, we will be one of the first companies to formulate with them.

I too would prefer to see a PAO like base oil at lower cost.

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That's a pretty strong endorsement for FTBO base oils!!

 

[Pablo]

Awesome. Very Interesting. Thanks for posting this Big O.

Mola - what will you do to help the rather limited solubility of these GTL base oils?

 

[MolaKule]

We would do as we do now with PAO, and add miscibility agents such as specialized dispersancy esters.

 

[Big O Dave]

I had to look this up...

quote:

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Think of miscibility as 'mixability' and it's easy to remember.

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I wasn't sure what "miscibility" meant, but now I know. Thanks, Mola!