As you know, automobile oils are classified not only by viscosity, the presence and level of various additives, but also by chemical composition. According to this classification, mineral, semi-synthetic and synthetic oils are distinguished.
The base oils used to make the final product are divided into several groups:
First group- regular mineral oil, obtained from heavy fractions of oil using various solvents.
Second group- which have undergone a processing procedure, due to this the stability of the base oil has been increased and there are fewer harmful impurities in it. Mineral oils of this group are used for older passenger car engines, for trucks, large industrial and marine engines, when an inexpensive lubricant is needed.
Third group- oils obtained using the hydrocracking process. Hydrocracking is the name of the technology by which the mineral base is cleared of impurities and driven to break long hydrocarbon chains and is saturated with hydrogen molecules. When using this method, the oil base is modified at the molecular level in such a way that the composition becomes something between natural and synthesized. This relatively recently appeared type of oil has its own positive qualities: firstly, its cost will be lower than that of PAO synthetics, and secondly, its quality will be incomparably better than that of mineral compounds. Initially, these oils were classified as highly refined mineral oils or semi-synthetics (according to some manufacturers). But in 1999, there was a precedent when Exxon Mobil filed a lawsuit against Castrol, whose canisters of hydrocracked oil were labeled “Synthetic.” The court's decision was unexpected for many - the court decided that the inscription “Synthetic” was a marketing ploy, and not a technical description of the product. After this decision, many manufacturers began to write “Synthetic” on their cans of hydrocracked oil. Since the technology for producing Group 3 oils is much cheaper than the production of classic synthetics at PJSC, these oils have gained enormous popularity, especially in light of the decision of the American court.
Fourth group- fully synthetic These oils are produced by the synthesis of petroleum gases butylene and ethylene. This technology makes it possible to obtain an almost ideal composition of hydrocarbon molecules, so oils based on them have unique properties - they can withstand enormous loads, high speeds, high temperatures, fuel ingress, without harm to quality, while they are more durable and stable. Hydrocracking oils can come close to PAO in many respects, but they cannot maintain these advanced characteristics over a long period of time.
The main disadvantages of PAO oils are their high price, inability to dissolve additives and non-polarity, i.e. PAO compounds do not remain on the surface. To dissolve additives in PAO oils, a mineral base is added, and to eliminate non-polarity - esters - group 5 oils.
It is often difficult to distinguish PAO oils from hydrocracking, since on both canisters you can see the inscription “Synthetics”. Only for oils sold in Germany, manufacturers are required to indicate on the can “HC - synthesis” for hydrocracking or “synthetics” for PAO oils. There are indirect signs by which you can determine the presence of PAO in oil. This is the flash point - for PAO oils it can be 240 °C and higher, when for hydrocracking it is less than 225 °C. The same applies to the pour point below -45°C for PAO and above - 38° for hydrocracking. But all these are only indirect signs; of course, it is impossible to determine from them with 100% probability that we have a PAO base or hydrocracking.
Fifth group– Esthers, ethers, complex alcohols. For the production of commercial oils, esters are used - synthetic compounds obtained from plant raw materials. Esters are polar, so they remain on metal surfaces and reduce wear. They are used in conjunction with oils of the previous 4th group, obtaining a completely synthetic product that incorporates all the advantages of PAO oils and esters. Having a very stable molecular structure, these oils can achieve specified parameters with a small amount of additives, which is very good for low-ash Low Saps oils, where the amount of additives is strictly regulated, since most additives turn into ash during combustion.
One more group of oils is worth mentioning separately. A technology that dates back to the Second World War, when in Germany it was used to make oils for military equipment. This technology is called GTL (Gas to Liquid from gas to liquid). To produce oils using this technology, natural gas is used, but the production technology differs from the production of PAO oils from gas, the process is more similar to gas liquefaction and deep purification, as for hydrocracking oils, therefore GTL oils are classified as Group 3 base oils. In terms of properties and qualities, GTL oils are between oils of groups 3 and 4, representing a reasonable compromise between cost and advantages. In modern times, Shell was the first to produce oils using this technology, initially at its subsidiary Pennzoi plant in America and later at its new plant in Qatar. All Shell Ultra oils are produced using this technology.
Is it possible to turn a pig into a crucian carp, that is, natural gas into motor oil? I saw this happen at Shell's head technology center in Amsterdam.
It was invented a long time ago to obtain oil and fuel not from oil, and the foundations of the current industrial technology GTL (Gas-To-Liquid, “gas-to-liquid”) were laid in 1925 by German chemists Fischer and Tropsch from the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. Oil-poor Germany was then preparing for the next war, and in search of a source of fuel, the Germans figured out how to produce liquid hydrocarbons from coal on an industrial scale. It was heated, and synthesis gas was obtained from it by passing water vapor, and then hydrocarbons.
The Germans launched the first industrial reactor in 1935, and by the end of the Second World War in Germany, seventeen factories produced up to seven million tons of “gas products” - more than half of the Wehrmacht’s ground equipment and almost all of the Luftwaffe’s aircraft ran on synthetic fuel. From coal, the Germans made oils, lubricants, and even synthetic soap and margarine. It is curious that after the war in the USSR, eight factories were removed from Germany, but only two German installations were launched - in Novocherkassk and Angarsk, which quietly died in the early nineties.
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The Allies approached the matter more carefully - after the war, German scientists continued to work on synthetic fuels in the US Bureau of Mines, and today Fischer-Tropsch technology, mainly for fuel production, is used by Exxon Mobil, ChevronTexaco, BP.
But the Royal Dutch Shell concern has outdone everyone - its range now includes not only fuel, but also Shell Helix Ultra motor oil with a base obtained without a single drop of oil - using PurePlus technology using the GTL process.
The Dutch, more seriously than others, began searching for alternative raw materials back in 1973, when, due to the war between Israel, Egypt and Syria, OPEC countries imposed an embargo on oil supplies to the United States, causing the price of oil to double in one day and quadruple within a year. In 1983, a pilot plant was already operating at the main research center in Amsterdam, and in 1993 Shell opened a large enterprise operating on local gas in Bintulu, Malaysia. And in 2012, with access to offshore wells from the world's second largest natural gas field and an investment of $20 billion, Shell launched the Pearl GTL megaplant in Qatar.
Having spent 100 thousand kilometers on Shell oil with a PurePlus base, the 1.8 engine of the test Mercedes C-Class has a minimum of wear and deposits
GTL synthetics are inexpensive: at current oil and gas prices, the cost is no higher than petroleum hydrocracking mineral oils. And much lower than that of synthetic oils based on polyalphaolefins (PAO) and even more so even more expensive esters, that is, polyesters.
Are GTL oils any good? As the Dutch assure, their low-temperature properties are no worse than oils based on PAO and polyesters. Now Shell laboratories are testing “gas oil” with viscosity 0W-16 in full swing and work is underway on 0W-10 - in both cases the pour point is below -50°C.
The purest GTL synthetics are colorless and almost odorless
in addition to motor oils, it is used in Nivea, Olaz and Shiseido cosmetics
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Lubricating properties are at the level of polyesters and much higher than those of PAO. Better than PAO and ability to dissolve additives. There is no main drawback of polyesters - hygroscopicity, that is, the tendency to absorb water, which impairs the lubricating and anti-corrosion properties. And, of course, the synthetic base resists oxidation well and evaporates poorly - that is, the oil on the GTL base will have to have relatively low waste.
What about the disadvantages? The main one, like PAO, is low polarity: the oil does not “stick” well to the metal and quickly flows from the cylinder walls into the crankcase, which is especially unpleasant when starting in cold weather. But, like PAO, this is “treated” by the addition of polar alkylated naphthalenes.
Since April, Shell Helix Ultra oil has been produced exclusively on the PurePlus “gas” base. By the end of the year, the Shell Advance motorcycle series of oils will also switch to the base obtained using GTL technology, and then “gas oil” in varying quantities will be included in the bases of the entire line of Shell motor oils - including those produced in the Russian Torzhok.
I wonder whether other petrochemical giants will follow the example of the Dutch - and how this will affect world oil prices?
Contrary to the name of the technology, the first thing that is obtained from gas is not a liquid, but a solid substance - snow-white and almost odorless paraffin. First, the original methane separated from natural gas is partially burned, turning into synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) and hydrogen. And then in the reactor, in the presence of a catalyst containing precious metals (the catalyst formula is the main secret of the process!), the purest, without any impurities, molten paraffin (sincrude, “synthesis-oil”) is obtained from the synthesis gas. Next is isomerization, that is, ordinary hydrocracking, like in petrochemists: long chains of paraffin molecules are “cut” to the required size - and naphtha (straight-run gasoline), diesel fuel or oil are obtained
Base oils are divided into five groups, which differ in chemical composition, and therefore in properties. This (and their mixing) determines what the final motor oil sold on store shelves will be. And the most interesting thing is the fact that only 15 world oil companies are involved in their production, as well as the additives themselves, while there are many more brands of the final oil. And here many people probably have a logical question: what is the difference between oils and which is the best? But first, it makes sense to understand the classification of these compounds.
Base oil groups
The classification of base oils involves dividing them into five groups. This is specified in API 1509, Appendix E.
API classification table for base oils
Group 1 oils
These compositions are obtained by purifying petroleum products remaining after the production of gasoline or other fuels and lubricants using chemical reagents (solvents). They are also called coarse oils. A significant disadvantage of such oils is the presence of a large amount of sulfur in them, more than 0.03%. As for the characteristics, such compositions have weak viscosity index values (that is, the viscosity is very dependent on temperature and can only work normally in a narrow temperature range). Currently, group 1 of base oils is considered obsolete and only . The viscosity index of such base oils is 80...120. And the temperature range is 0°C…+65°C. Their only advantage is their low price.
Group 2 oils
Group 2 base oils are obtained through a chemical process called hydrocracking. Another name for them is highly refined oils. This is also the purification of petroleum products, but using hydrogen and under high pressure (in fact, the process is multi-stage and complex). The result is an almost transparent liquid, which is the base oil. It contains less than 0.03% sulfur content and has antioxidant properties. Due to its purity, the service life of the motor oil obtained from it is significantly increased, and deposits and carbon deposits in the engine are reduced. Based on hydrocracking base oil, the so-called “HC-synthetics” are made, which some experts classify as semi-synthetics. The viscosity index in this case also ranges from 80 to 120. This group is called the English abbreviation HVI (High Viscosity Index), which literally translates as high viscosity index.
Group 3 oils
These oils are obtained in the same way as the previous ones, from petroleum products. However, the features of group 3 are increased, its value exceeds 120. The higher this indicator, the wider the temperature range the resulting motor oil can operate in, in particular, in severe frost. Group 3 is often made from base oils. The sulfur content here is less than 0.03%, and the composition itself consists of 90% chemically stable, hydrogen-saturated molecules. Its other name is synthetics, but in fact it is not. The name of the group sometimes sounds like VHVI (Very High Viscosity Index), which translates as a very high viscosity index.
Sometimes group 3+ is isolated separately, the base for which is obtained not from oil, but from natural gas. The technology for its creation is called GTL (gas-to-liquids), that is, the conversion of gas into liquid hydrocarbons. The result is a very pure, water-like base oil. Its molecules have strong bonds that are resistant to aggressive conditions. Oils created on such a base are considered fully synthetic, despite the fact that hydrocracking is used in the process of their creation.
Group 3 raw materials are excellent for developing fuel-efficient, synthetic, multi-grade motor oil formulations in the 5W-20 to 10W-40 range.
Group 4 oils
These oils are created on the basis of polyalphaolefins, and are the basis for the so-called “true synthetics”, which are distinguished by their high quality. This is the so-called polyalphaolefin base oil. It is produced using chemical synthesis. However, a feature of motor oils obtained from such a base is their high cost, so they are often used only in sports cars and premium cars.
Group 5 oils
There are separate types of base oils, which include all other compounds that are not included in the four groups listed above (roughly speaking, this includes all lubricating compounds, even those not related to automotive technology, which are not included in the first four). In particular, silicone, phosphate ester, polyalkylene glycol (PAG), polyesters, bio-lubricants, petrolatum and white oils and so on. They are essentially additives to other formulations. For example, esters serve as additives to base oil to improve its performance properties. Thus, a mixture of essential oil and polyalphaolefins works normally at high temperatures, thereby providing increased detergency of the oil and increasing its service life. Another name for such compositions is essential oils. They are currently the highest quality and have the highest characteristics. These include ester oils, which, however, are produced in very small quantities due to their high cost (about 3% of global production).
Thus, the characteristics of base oils depend on the method of their preparation. And this, in turn, affects the quality and characteristics of ready-made motor oils used in automobile engines. Oils obtained from petroleum are also affected by its chemical composition. After all, it depends on where (in what region on the planet) and how the oil was extracted.
What are the best base oils?
Base oil volatility according to Noack
Oxidation stability
The question of which base oils are the best is not entirely correct, since it all depends on what kind of oil you need to get and use in the end. For most budget cars, “semi-synthetic”, created by mixing oils of groups 2, 3 and 4, is quite suitable. If we are talking about good “synthetics” for expensive premium foreign cars, then it is better to buy oil based on a group 4 base.
Until 2006, motor oil manufacturers could call oils based on groups 4 and 5 “synthetic.” Which are considered the best base oils. However, at present it is allowed to do this even if a base oil of the second or third group was used. That is, only compositions based on the first basic group remained “mineral”.
What happens when you mix species?
Mixing of individual base oils belonging to different groups is allowed. This way you can adjust the characteristics of the final compositions. For example, if you mix base oils of groups 3 or 4 with similar compounds from group 2, you will get “semi-synthetic” with increased performance characteristics. If the mentioned oils are mixed with group 1, you will also get “”, but with lower characteristics, in particular, high sulfur content or other impurities (depending on the specific composition). Interestingly, oils of the fifth group in their pure form are not used as a base. To them are added compounds from the third and/or fourth groups. This is due to their high volatility and high cost.
A distinctive feature of PAO-based oils is that it is impossible to make a 100% PAO composition. The reason is their very poor solubility. And it is needed to dissolve additives that are added during the manufacturing process. Therefore, a certain amount of products from lower groups (third and/or fourth) is always added to PAO oils.
The structure of molecular bonds in oils belonging to different groups is different. So, in low groups (first, second, that is, mineral oils), the molecular chains are similar to the branched crown of a tree with a bunch of “crooked” branches. This shape makes it easier to curl into a ball, which is what happens when it freezes. Accordingly, such oils will freeze at a higher temperature. Conversely, oils of high groups have hydrocarbon chains that have a long, straight structure, and it is more difficult for them to “coagulate”. That's why they freeze at lower temperatures.
Production and receipt of base oils
In the production of modern base oils, viscosity index, pour point, volatility and oxidation stability can be independently controlled. As mentioned above, base oils are produced from petroleum or petroleum products (for example, fuel oil), and there is also production from natural gas by conversion into liquid hydrocarbons.
How is base motor oil produced?
Oil itself is a complex chemical compound, which includes saturated paraffins and naphthenes, unsaturated aromatic olefins, and so on. Each such connection has positive and negative properties.
In particular, paraffins have good oxidation stability, but at low temperatures it is reduced to nothing. At high temperatures, naphthenic acids form a sediment in the oil. Aromatic hydrocarbons negatively affect oxidative stability as well as lubricity. In addition, they form varnish deposits.
Unsaturated hydrocarbons are unstable, that is, they change their properties over time and at different temperatures. Therefore, you need to get rid of all of the listed substances in base oils. And this is done in different ways.
Methane is a natural gas that has neither color nor odor; it is the simplest hydrocarbon consisting of alkanes and paraffins. Alkanes, which are the basis of this gas, unlike neftenes, have strong molecular bonds, and as a result are resistant to reactions with sulfur and alkali, do not form sediments and varnish deposits, but are susceptible to oxidation at 200°C.
The main difficulty lies in the synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons, but the final process is hydrocracking, where long chains of hydrocarbons are separated into different fractions, one of which is an absolutely transparent base oil without sulfate ash. The purity of the oil is 99.5%.
With a viscosity index significantly higher than those produced from PAO, they are used to produce fuel-efficient automotive oils with a long service life. This oil has very low volatility and excellent stability at both extremely high and extremely low temperatures.
Let's take a closer look at the oils of each group listed above, how they differ in their production technology.
Group 1. They are obtained from pure oil or other oil-containing materials (often waste products from the production of gasoline and other fuels and lubricants) through selective purification. To do this, one of three elements is used - clay, sulfuric acid and solvents.
So, with the help of clay, they get rid of nitrogen and sulfur compounds. Sulfuric acid in combination with impurities provides sludge sediment. And solvents remove paraffin and aromatic compounds. Solvents are most often used because they are the most effective.
Group 2. The technology here is similar, but it is complemented by highly refined cleaning elements with a low content of aromatic compounds and paraffins. This improves oxidative stability.
Group 3. At the initial stage, base oils of the third group are obtained in the same way as the oils of the second. However, their peculiarity is the hydrocracking process. In this case, petroleum hydrocarbons undergo hydrogenation and cracking.
During the hydrogenation process, aromatic hydrocarbons are removed from the oil (they subsequently form varnish deposits and carbon deposits in the engine). This also removes sulfur, nitrogen and their chemical compounds. Next comes the stage of catalytic cracking, during which paraffin hydrocarbons are broken down and “fluffed,” that is, the process of isomerization occurs. Due to this, linear molecular bonds are obtained. Harmful compounds of sulfur, nitrogen and other elements remaining in the oil are neutralized by adding additives.
Group 3+. Such base oils are produced by the hydrocracking method, only the raw materials that can be separated are not crude oil, but liquid hydrocarbons synthesized from natural gas. The gas can be synthesized to produce liquid hydrocarbons using the Fischer-Tropsch technology, developed back in the 1920s, but using a special catalyst. Production of the required product began only at the end of 2011 at the Pearl GTL Shell plant together with Qatar Petroleum.
The production of such base oil begins with the supply of gas and oxygen to the installation. The gasification stage then begins, producing synthesis gas, which is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Then the synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons occurs. And the next process in the GTL chain is hydrocracking of the resulting transparent waxy mass.
The gas-to-liquid conversion process produces a crystal clear base oil that is virtually free of the impurities found in crude oil. The most important representatives of such oils made using PurePlus technology are Ultra, Pennzoil Ultra and Platinum Full Synthetic.
Group 4. The role of the synthetic base for such compositions is played by the already mentioned polyalphaolefins (PAO). They are hydrocarbons with a chain length of about 10...12 atoms. They are obtained by polymerization (combination) of so-called monomers (short hydrocarbons 5...6 atoms long. And the raw materials for this are oil gases butylene and ethylene (another name for long molecules - decenes). This process is reminiscent of “cross-linking” on special chemical machines It consists of several stages.
The first involves the oligomerization of decene to produce a linear alpha olefin. The oligomerization process occurs in the presence of catalysts, high temperature and high pressure. The second stage is the polymerization of linear alpha-olefins, which results in the desired PAO. This polymerization process occurs at low pressure and in the presence of organometallic catalysts. At the final stage, fractional distillation is carried out at PAO-2, PAO-4, PAO-6, and so on. To ensure the required characteristics of the base motor oil, appropriate fractions and polyalphaolefins are selected.
Group 5. As for the fifth group, such oils are based on esters - esters or fatty acids, that is, compounds of organic acids. These compounds are formed as a result of chemical reactions between acids (usually carboxylic acids) and alcohols. The raw materials for their production are organic materials - vegetable oils (coconut, rapeseed). Also, sometimes group five oils are made from alkylated naphthalenes. They are obtained by alkylation of naphthalenes with olefins.
As you can see, the manufacturing technology becomes more complex from group to group, and therefore becomes more expensive. This is why mineral oils have a low price, and PAO-synthetic oils are expensive. However, there are many different characteristics to consider, not just price and type of oil.
Interestingly, oils belonging to the fifth group contain polarized particles that are magnetic to the metal parts of the engine. This ensures the best protection compared to other oils. In addition, they have very good cleaning abilities, due to which the amount of detergent additives is reduced to a minimum (or simply eliminated).
Oils based on esters (the fifth basic group) are used in aviation, because planes fly at altitudes where the temperature is significantly lower than that recorded even in the far north.
Modern technologies make it possible to create completely biodegradable ester oils, since the mentioned esters are environmentally friendly products and easily decompose. Therefore, such oils are environmentally friendly. However, due to their high cost, car enthusiasts will not soon be able to use them everywhere.
Base oil manufacturers
Ready-made motor oil is a mixture of base oil and additive package. Moreover, it is interesting that there are only 5 companies in the world that produce these same additives - Lubrizol, Ethyl, Infineum, Afton and Chevron. All well-known and not so well-known companies that produce their own lubricating fluids buy additives from them. Over time, their composition changes and is modified; companies conduct research in chemical fields and try not only to improve the performance characteristics of oils, but also to make them more environmentally friendly.
As for manufacturers of base oils, there are actually not so many of them, and these are mainly large, world-famous companies such as ExonMobil, which ranks first in the world in this indicator (about 50% of the global volume of Group IV base oils , as well as a larger share in groups 2, 3 and 5). Besides it, there are other large ones in the world with their own research center. Moreover, their production is divided into the above-mentioned five groups. For example, such “whales” as ExxonMobil, Castrol and Shell do not produce base oils of the first group, since it is “not their rank”.
| Manufacturers of base oils by group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | II | III | IV | V |
| Lukoil (Russian Federation) | Exxon Mobil (EHC) | Petronas (ETRO) | ExxonMobil | Inolex |
| Total (France) | Chevron | ExxonMobil (VISOM) | Idemitsu Kosan Co. | Exxon Mobil |
| Kuwait Petroleum (Kuwait) | Excell Paralubes | Neste Oil (Nexbase) | INEOS | DOW |
| Neste (Finland) | Ergon | Repsol YPF | Chemtura | BASF |
| SK (South Korea) | Motiva | Shell (Shell XHVI and GTL) | Chevron Phillips | Chemtura |
| Petronas (Malaysia) | Suncor Petro-Canada | British Petroleum (Burmah-Castrol) | INEOS | |
| GS Caltex (Kixx LUBO) | Hatco | |||
| SK Lubricants | Nyco America | |||
| Petronas | Afton | |||
| H&R Chempharm GmbH | Croda | |||
| Eni | Synester | |||
| Motiva | ||||
The listed base oils are initially divided by viscosity. And each group has its own designations:
- First group: SN-80, SN-150, SN-400, SN-500, SN-600, SN-650, SN-1200 and so on.
- Second group: 70N, 100N, 150N, 500N (although the viscosity value may differ among different manufacturers).
- Third group: 60R, 100R, 150R, 220R, 600R (numbers here may also differ depending on the manufacturer).
Composition of motor oils
Depending on what characteristics the finished automobile motor oil should have, each manufacturer chooses its composition and the ratio of its constituent substances. For example, a semi-synthetic oil typically consists of about 70% mineral base oil (Group 1 or 2), or 30% hydrocracked synthetic (sometimes 80% and 20%). Next comes the “game” with additives (they can be antioxidant, antifoam, thickening, dispersing, washing, dispersing, friction modifiers), which are added to the resulting mixture. Additives are usually of low quality, so the resulting finished product does not have good characteristics, and can be used in budget and/or old cars.
Synthetic and semi-synthetic formulations based on group 3 base oils are the most common in the world today. They have the English designation Semi Syntetic. Their manufacturing technology is similar. They consist of approximately 80% base oil (often different groups of base oils are mixed) and an additive. Sometimes viscosity regulators are added.
Synthetic oils based on group 4 bases are already real “synthetics” Full Syntetic, based on polyalphaolephones. They have very high performance and a long service life, but they are very expensive. As for rare ester motor oils, they consist of a mixture of base oils from groups 3 and 4, and with the addition of an ester component in a volume amount of 5 to 30%.
Recently, there have been “traditional craftsmen” who add about 10% of a pure ester component to the filled engine oil of a car in order to supposedly improve its characteristics. Should not be doing that! This will change the viscosity and may lead to unpredictable results.
The technology for producing finished motor oil is not just a matter of mixing individual components, in particular, base and additives. In fact, this mixing occurs in stages, at different temperatures, at different intervals. Therefore, to produce it you need to have information about the technology and the appropriate equipment.
Most of the current companies, having such equipment, produce motor oils using the developments of the main base oil manufacturers and additive manufacturers, so quite often you can come across the statement that the manufacturers are fooling us and in fact all oils are the same.
GTL is a natural gas motor oil. The technology for its production was developed almost a hundred years ago. An easy task for chemists. It's funny, but in order for methane gas to turn into liquid oil, it had to transform into a solid substance - snow-white paraffin, the synthesis of which occurs as a result of the partial oxidation of methane with the release of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. And now, under the influence of catalysts, they are transformed into intermediate paraffin. Chemists figured out what to do with it even earlier. Using the hydrocracking method, long chains of isomers are “cut” into short ones, and the output is straight-run gasoline, diesel fuel and oils.
To make oil from gas, it is first converted into solid white wax by oxidizing methane to release carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
If you don’t butter it up, you won’t go
Friction, unless its force is used for braking or traction, is a constant headache for engineers and mechanics. Friction reduces engine efficiency and increases wear on contacting parts. Even the ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks used oils and fat to facilitate gliding. Millennia passed, and the industrial development of technology at the beginning of the 20th century. brought the production of oils to an industrial scale. Requirements for quality and nomenclature have increased.
Motor oils come in mineral, synthetic and semi-synthetic bases.
Tar, vegetable oils and animal fats lost ground under the onslaught of oil and coal. Raw materials from minerals produced large volumes at a reduced cost. Over time, the situation changed. Oil and coal were no longer cheap, but huge reserves of gas fields were discovered and developed. Then it turned out that gas processing products successfully compete with analogues from other natural materials. Motor oil is a mixture of a base oil (base oil) with additives that provide the necessary technical properties.
Modern oils are divided into:
- mineral - they are obtained as a result of cutting and refining oil (a natural mixture of liquid hydrocarbons);
- synthetic - a product of the synthesis of organic and inorganic components.
Accordingly, motor oil made from natural gas is classified as synthetic and is presented on the market in a long list, where the grades differ in both composition and technical characteristics.
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The cow is not only milk and meat
Natural gas is understood as a mixture of gases in the bowels of the Earth, formed as a result of the decomposition of organic matter without access to oxygen. This is mainly methane, reaching up to 98% in some deposits, and, naturally, it is the raw material for the production of motor oils.
Rising oil prices, technological development, and stricter environmental requirements have spurred the search for alternatives. Some directions turned out to be successful. For example, decomposing animal waste, when properly disposed of, can produce a noticeable yield of methane. Most often it is used for technical needs or heating buildings.
However, with the industrial scale of dairy production, the volume of gas becomes such that the idea arises of synthesizing motor oil as an independent, by-product. Perhaps, some time later, the industrial farm will become multifunctional: on the one hand, milk and butter are shipped, and on the other, technical oils and plastics. A similar process can be launched at agricultural processing enterprises or at factories for recycling waste or wood waste. The chemical industry is developing rapidly, and not all states can boast of an abundance of natural resources. But there will always be garbage and manure, as well as gas production technology.
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Shell didn't eat a siskin
The Dutch company Royal Dutch Shell is a leader in the production of motor oils from natural gas; it can be recognized by the abbreviation GTL (gas to liquid). We must pay tribute: the Dutch have really won a significant segment of the market and continue to advance. They pursue an active advertising and marketing policy, including organizing press tours to their enterprises with invitations of journalists and bloggers from different countries, including Russia.
The Dutch company Royal Dutch Shell is a leader in the production of motor oils from natural gas, which can be recognized by the abbreviation GTL.
The line of Shell products under the general brand Shell Helix Ultra is confidently promoting around the world. It includes dozens of oils used for various purposes. The manufacturer, based on statistics and independent research, proves that GTL is superior in quality to oils traditionally produced from petroleum or synthetic based on PAO (polyalphaolefins) or polyesters.
Competitors object, arguing that Shell oils have the following disadvantages:
- lose quality at low temperatures;
- have low polarity, the oil does not stick to the metal and drains quickly, especially in cold weather;
- show weak oxidizing properties; without additives they do not withstand a 24-hour test on an oxidation machine.
Shell disagrees and offers improved product modifications every season. This is the case when spurring competition benefits the consumer. Judging by the current trend, synthetic GTL oils will continue to advance on all fronts of the market. As long as there is gas, oil production will not dry out.
Let’s say right away that for the AvtoVzglyad portal, acquaintance with such production was not an extraordinary event - we, including at foreign factories. So there is something to compare with. However, the impressions from visiting the plant in Torzhok turned out to be much more memorable than we expected.
For example, here the latest generation installation is used for preparation, operating on the principle of “mixing in flow” (SMB technology). In a mixing plant of this type, all the necessary components are simultaneously supplied into the pipe at a certain speed, which ensures their mixing in the required proportion, and with high accuracy. The mixing (compounding) speed at the installation using SMB technology is about 60,000 per hour. This is several times more than with a traditional mixing plant, where mixing is carried out by blades. In Torzhok, however, there is such mixing equipment, but even it uses not ordinary, but special blades created on the basis of unique patented developments.
Original technical solutions were also applied in the bottling and packaging workshop of finished oils. One of the main features of the process is the automatic manifold. This is a kind of pipeline switch that redistributes the flow of one or another type of product coming from storage containers to the bottling line. There is also a nuance here: to prevent different products from mixing in the manifold channels, each pipeline, after shipping the required amount of oil, must be subjected to pneumatic cleaning using polymer-rubber wads (so-called pigs). It is clear that the technical implementation of any of these operations is very complex and time-consuming. Therefore, all production processes are automated and controlled from the control room - in full compliance with the most modern industrial standards.
But, as they say, innovation is innovation, and no one has canceled product quality control. This process has been taken to the absolute level in the company, with a significant share of control operations assigned to the Shell factory laboratory. Its specialists monitor all stages of production, from the analysis of additives and base oils to quality control of the finished product. The test data obtained in the laboratory is instantly sent to the unified corporate databases of the GSAP and Lubcel electronic systems, which verify the correctness of the presented results and their compliance with the required parameters. This double control ensures that the oils produced at the Torzhok plant are no different in quality from similar products produced at any other brand plant.
Answering questions from journalists, the director of the complex, Konstantin Rubin, said that after reaching full capacity, the plant will produce a wide range of high-quality lubricants, including motor oils, oils for marine engines, industrial lubricants, hydraulic and transmission oils. They are sold under the brands Helix and Rimula (oils for passenger cars and commercial vehicles, respectively), Tellus, Spirax and Omala (industrial lubricants).
Innovative technologies also underlie the production of Shell Helix Ultra, a new line of synthetic motor oils based on PurePlus technology. As a reminder, these PurePlus oils are made from natural gas, not petroleum. The gas-to-liquid conversion process produces a crystal clear base oil that is virtually free of the impurities found in crude oil. The fact is that the “base” based on natural gas consists of molecules with strong molecular bonds that are more resistant to harsh operating conditions. The result is easy engine starting even at extremely low temperatures, resistance to high temperatures, and the ability to remove deposits formed in the lubrication system when using conventional motor oils. Moreover, the combination of Shell PurePlus and Active Cleansing technologies in the Shell Helix Ultra range of oils ensures a high level of engine cleanliness.
