Chevron Oronite launches additive package for 200 BN marine cylinder lubricants

Chevron Oronite Company, LLC has introduced a 200 base number (BN) marine cylinder lubricant additive package as the latest addition to its Marine and Power generation system (MAPS™) product portfolio. Specifically designed for the latest generation of highly corrosive slow speed marine engines operating on high sulfur heavy fuel oils (HFO), OLOA® 49838 was developed to help lubricant marketers and ship operators transition to the new sulfur limit in marine fuels regulations set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), also known as IMO 2020.

A lubricant’s base number measures its potential to neutralize the acidic products formed during combustion, which are caused by sulphur in the fuel oil.

“The new regulation states that if ship owners and operators choose to install an exhaust gas scrubber to comply with IMO 2020, they may still use fuel with 3.5% or higher sulfur content, thus requiring a higher BN lubricant,” said Ilse Oelius Smaal, global marine product line manager, Chevron Oronite. “That is why it was important for us to release OLOA® 49838, as the second of four additions to our MAPS™ product portfolio this year.”

Oronite’s proven technology currently offers solutions for up to 140 BN marine cylinder lubricants. Oronite’s new additive package for 200 BN MCL extends the range for those applications where even greater protection is needed. OLOA® 49838 is optimized for use in highly corrosive engines operating on high sulfur fuels.

“OLOA® 49838 was extensively researched and tested in highly corrosive engines, both in in-house laboratory engines test as well as in field tests with split lubrication,” said Maarten Boons, marine technology manager, Chevron Oronite. “After more than 7,000 hours of testing in real world conditions, our 200BN MCL technology maintained engine cleanliness and provided at least equivalent wear control versus two 100BN commercial Marine Cylinder Lubricants at only ~50% of the lubricant feed rate.”

Regulation 14.1.3 of Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention was adopted by the IMO in 2016, in response to environmental concerns. Regulation 4 of MAPROL Annex VI allows the use of “equivalent” means of compliance, thus giving ship owners and operators the choice to add a scrubber to their marine vessels.

Developed from the latest marine additive technology, Chevron Oronite’s MAPS™ portfolio consists of packages that can be used to blend a complete slate of oils for Marine and PowerGen applications.