Fuels & Lubes International 1998 – Issue #12

Expansion makes Nynas world’s largest naphthenic base oil producer
By Rosanna Cruz Rogacion
Nynas’ third and latest hydrogenation plant which went into commercial production on October 29 has propelled the company into becoming the world’s largest naphthenic base oil producer.

ASTM abandons development of PC-7.5
By Vicky Villena – Denton
NEW ORLEANS, La. — ASTM subcommittee B on automotive lubricants accepted the recommendation of the heavy-duty engine oil classification panel to terminate test development of the proposed interim heavy-duty engine oil category, PC-7.5.

Merger Update
The proposed Exxon Corp. and Mobil Corp. merger announced this month will create the third largest company in the world, with a combined market capitalization of US$240 billion. The merged company will be renamed Exxon Mobil Corp. Both the Exxon and Mobil brands will be retained.

GF-3 engine oil licensing predicted for June 2000
By Vicky Villena – Denton
NEW ORLEANS, La. — ILSAC GF-3, the current passenger car category under development will probably be available for licensing by June 2000, predicted Frank Fernandez, chairman of the ASTM passenger car engine oil classification panel.

The global market for naphthenic base oils
By Vicky Villena – Denton
HOUSTON, Texas — The world market for naphthenic base oils has been declining and now stands at around 3.1 million tons, or nine percent of the total global base oil market, estimates Nynas’ Managing Director, Thomas Wallin. Fifty-five percent of the global market is in the U.S., he said.

North American naphthenic base oil market
By Vicky Villena – Denton
HOUSTON, Texas — Naphthenic oils account for about 20 percent of base oil production in North America today, according to Golden Bear’s Rachel Cohen.

Seasonal effects seen in the Nissan valve train wear test
By Rosanna Cruz Rogacion
The Nissan valve train wear test will become part of the new passenger car engine oil category under development, ILSAC GF-3. The development of engines and lubricants with reduced friction and higher fuel economy is the reason behind the importance of this wear test.

1998 a tough year for Japanese OEMs
By Rosanna Cruz Rogacion
1998 proved to be a tough year for the Japanese automobile industry because of a prolonged slump in domestic sales and decreasing exports to Southeast Asia. Japan’s automobile production in the first half of 1998 declined by 10.5 percent from the same period last year to 5,100,613 units. Exports to the Asian region were down by 55.2 percent to 141,094 units, the biggest drop in the first half.

Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels may be necessary only for eninges with denox catalyst traps
By Ronald Tharby
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. — Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels would only show a benefit in future engines with high-temperature catalytic traps for NOx reduction (Denox traps).

Prototype 2004 low-emissions diesel engines found insensitive to cetane number changes
By Ronald Tharby
Regulated emissions from engines using large amounts of cooled EGR were substantially unaffected by wide variations in fuel cetane number, according to Southwest Research Institute’s (SWRI) Tom Ryan.

Emissions of tar sand-derived diesel fuels
By Ronald Tharby
Tar sands-derived fuels, which have higher aromatic content than conventional diesel fuels, were found to have the same particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions as conventional diesel fuels with the same cetane number.

Exxon, Toyota join to develop fuel technology for next generation automotive systems
Exxon Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation have joined together “to advance the science and technology necessary for next generation automotive systems”.

New grassroots refinery in Malaysia to be operational in January
PSR-2, the new grassroots, joint venture refinery in Malacca, Malaysia, is expected to be fully operational by January 1999.

Chevron Chemical to switch to next generation PIB at Oak Point plant
Chevron Chemical Co. broke ground last month on a $70 million Polyisobutene (PIB) manufacturing complex at the company’s Oak Point plant in Belle Chasse, La. PIB is used to manufacture dispersants for products such as motor oil.