Contents

List of Tables 3

List of Figures 4

1-overview 5

2- Lubricating oil ) Lube Oil ) 6

6
2.1- Examples of Lube Oils
7
2.2- Specifications of Lube Oil
10
2.3-Classification of Lubricating Oil

3- Lubricating Oil Processing 11

3.1 -Solvent extraction refining (Conventional Refining) 11
3.2- Hybrid Type Refining 13

3.3 -Advanced Base Oil Refining Technologies 13

13
3.4 -More Recent Lube Base Oil Technologies

4- Comparative Properties of Base Oils 15

5- Lube Oil Dewaxing Process 16

5.1 Solvent Dewaxing Process 16
5.2 Catalytic Dewaxing Processes 18
5.2.1 The Bp Catalytic Dewaxing Process 18

5.2.2 The Mobil Lube Dewaxing Process 19

20
5.2.3 The chevron catalytic dewaxing process
5.3 Iso-Dewaxing Process 21
23
5.3.1 The Chevron Iso-Dewaxing Process
26
5.3.2 Exxon Mobil Iso-Dewaxing Process (MSDW)
28
5.3.3 Iso Dewaxing Catalytic Reaction

6-Summury 31

References 32

Page | 2
 List of Tables

Table 2.1: Lube Oil Specs, ETS-oil, Tehran- Iran

Table 2.2: Lube Oil Specs, bharat petroleum- India
Table 2.3: Lube Oil Specs, Golden eagle chemical, Texas- USA
Table 2.4: Lube Oil Specs, APC, Alexandria- Egypt
Table 2.5: classification of lube oil base
Table 4.1: comparison of different processes base oil
Table 5.1: solvent dewaxing and wax deoiling feed stocks and products
Table 5.2: Feed, solvent dewaxed and Iso-dewaxed lube oil specs
Table 5.3: Feed, solvent dewaxed and Iso-dewaxed lube oil specs for some
types of lube oil
Table 5.4: a comparison of the product distribution for solvent dewaxing and
isodewaxing
Table 5.5: a comparison of the product distribution for MLDW-dewaxing
and isodewaxing
Table 5.6: Different Zeolites Products on N-Decane

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 List of Figures

Figure 3.1: conventional refining

Figure 3.2: GTL the Route for Waxy Lube Feeds
Figure 5.1: Texaco Solvent Dewaxing Process
Figure 5.2: BP catalytic dewaxing process
Figure 5.3: Mobil Lube Dewaxing Process
Figure 5.4: Chevron Iso-Dewaxing process
Figure 5.5: Modern Plant Scheme
Figure 5.6: MSDW process
Figure 5.7: Zeolites reaction and effects on N-Decane

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 1- Overview

In the early days of petroleum industry, only crude fractions of appropriate

gravity and viscosity were considered suitable for manufacture of lubricant
base oils used in automobile engines and other machines operated at high
speed. [1]
Those fractions needed only acid treating and cold wax settling to
manufacture suitable lubricant base oil. The lubricant base oil from other
crudes contains more aromatics and is of lower viscosity index. [2]

As demand for base oils increased petroleum refineries developed many

chemical and solvent treating processes which would upgrade the less
desirable crude fractions into suitable base oils. [3]

Hydrogenation process have been developed which are used to upgrade the
fractions from less desirable crude oils to desired quality levels.
Therefore, has been different meaning to different refineries and to personnel
at different base oil plants. [4]

Page | 5
 2- Lubricating oil ) Lube Oil )

Lubricating oil Lube Oil is the oil used to make friction between moving
parts as minimum as possible and remove dust and any present metals and to
cool the moving parts.
In order to make that role the Lube Oil must have some specifications and
properties satisfying that need of lubricity.
Lubricating Oil can be divided into two main categories:
1-Conventional base oil (V.I <95)
2-Non Conventional base oils (V.I >100)

Conventional base oils is manufactured using solvent refining processes ,and

Non conventional base oils manufactured using severe hydrogen refining
processes or isomerisation of wax .

2.1- Examples of Lube Oils

A) Neutral oils
Vacuum distilled paraffinic base oils that are refined for V.I appreciation and
aromatics removal. They are dewaxed for pour point reduction and
hydrogenated for stability. These base oils are characterized by high API
gravity, flash point, aniline point and VI. [5]
B) Bright stocks and cylinder oils
Residual base oils manufactured from paraffinic and naphthenic vacuum
residue. Bright stocks are made using propane deasphalting, solvent
extraction or hydrogen refining and solvent dewaxing or catalytic dewaxing.
Cylinder oils are manufactured using propane deasphalting with solvent
dewaxing sometimes used to reduce pour point. [6]
C) Naphthene pale oils
Vacuum distilled naphthenic base oil that is refined for aromatic removal and
dewaxing is generally not required. [7]

Page | 6
2.2- Specifications of Lube Oil

The main Specifications must be present for any lubricating oil will be (
Sp.gr , pour point , Viscosity 40c &100c , Viscosity index , flash point ,
furfural content , color , conradson carob residue ) .
The values of those specifications will vary from country to another and from
refinery to another in the same country for same base oil.
In tables 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 find Examples of base oil specifications in
different refineries and different countries.

Bright stock base oil

Specification
Oil property Unit Test Method
Min Max
Kinematic viscosity Mm2/s
ASTM D445 28 32
@100c (cst)
ASTM
Viscosity Index (V I) 90
D2270
Flash point C ASTM D92 300
Pout point C ASTM 97 -6
Specific Gravity @15.6 ASTM
900
c/15.6c D12198
ASTM
Sulphur content Wt% 1typ
D2622
ASTM
Color 4
D1500
ASTM
NOACK Wt% 2TYP
D5800
Carbon Residue Content Wt% ASTM D189 0.3

Table 2.1 Lube oil specs - ETS-oil, Tehran, Iran [8]

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 Lube Oil Base Stock 150 N
Test Method Specification
Appearance Visual Clear&Bright
Color , ASTM , Max ASTM D1500 L1
Kinematic viscosity , Cst
@40 C ASTM D445 29-33
@100 C
Viscosity Index , Min ASTM D 2270 110
Density @ 15 c, G/ml ASTM D1298
Flash point, c, min,(COC) ASTM D 92 210
Pour point , C , Max ASTM D 97 -15
Sulfur , ppm w ,Max ASTM D 2622/4553 5
Cu. Corrosion @ 100 c,3hrs, Max ASTM D 130 1a
Total acid Number , mg ASTM D664 0.01
CCR, Wt% , Max ASTM D189 0.05
CCR , Wt% , Max ASTM D189 0.05
Water Content , ppm w, Max ASTM D6304 50
Table 2.2 Lube oil specs - bharat petroleum, India [9]

Property ASTM Test Method Typical Properties

Color D1500 L4.5
Appearance Visual Bright
Viscosity @40c , Cst D445 510
@100 c, Cst D445 32.5
Viscosity @100 F, SUS D2161 2743
@210 F, SUS D2161 159
Viscosity Index D2270 95
Flash point, C.O.C , C D92 296
Pour Point , C D5949 -6
Paraffinic Carbon Atoms % D2140 71
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 Naphthenic Carbon Atoms % D2140 25
Aromatic Carbon Atoms % D2140 4
Gravity , API @60 F D1250 27.6
Specific Gravity @60 F D4052 0.8895
Lbs. Per Gallon @ 60 F Calculated 7.407
Table 2.3 Lube oil specs - Golden eagle chemical, Texas, USA [10]

Specification of Bright Stock Oil

Test Method Specification
Appearance Visual Bright &Clear
CCR , %wt (MAX) ASTM D189 0.9
Color (Max) ASTM D 1500 6
Density @ 15 c g/ml ( Min) ASTM D 1298
Flash Point C.O.C c(Max) ASTM D 92 240
Neutralization Max ASTM D 974 0.05
Pour Point C (Max) ASTM D 97 +3
Viscosity , Kinematic Cst (Min)
@40 C -
@100 C 23
Viscosity Index (Min) ASTM D2270 87
Total Acidity (Max ) ASTM D 974 0.05
Table 2.4 Lube oil specs - APC, Alex, Egypt [11]

And in order to achieve these specifications, many types of processes are

done to the crude and lubricating base oil.

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2.3-Classification of Lubricating Oil
American Petroleum Institute (API) introduced a broad classification for all
types of Lube Base Oils, 5 Groups indicate performance level of base oils,
Helps to minimize lengthy testing for blending and substitution purposes, As
indicated in table 2.5 .[12]

API Group Sats Sulfur VI Process

I <90% >0.03% 80-119 Solvent Processing
II >90% <0.03% 80-119 Hydro processing
III >90% <0.03% 120+ Wax Isomerisation, GTL
IV N.A Poly Alpha Olefins (PAO)
V All other Base Stocks

Table 2.5 classification of lube oil base [13]

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 3- Lubricating Oil Processing

Accord to the API classification of Lube base oil the processing of feed
stokes be done.
So the 1st grade is using the solvent extraction technology , 2 nd generation
using hydro processing technology using catalytic dewaxing and catalytic
refining , 3rd generation is upgrading 2nd generation processes technique to
improve the properties of final lube oil . So every grade includes some kind
of processing. And accord to process generations it is divided to:
1-Conventional Refining
(Solvent Extraction + Solvent Dewaxing + Hydrofinishing)
(Separation Based: Produce Group-I base oils)

2-Hybrid Type Refining

(Solvent Extraction+ Catalyst Dewaxing/Wax isomerization)

3- Advanced Refining
(Hydro cracking + Catalyst Dewaxing/ Iso dewaxing + Wax isomerization)
(Conversion Based: Produce Group-II/III base oils)

4- More Advanced Technology/Synthetic

(Synthetic Type: Produce Group-III base oils)
Products PAO, esters, silicon oils etc. [14]

3.1 -Solvent extraction refining (Conventional Refining)

The first step in the processing of lubricating oils is the separation on the
crude oil distillation units of the individual fractions according to viscosity
and boiling range specifications.
The heavier lube oil raw stocks are included in the vacuum fractionating
tower bottoms with the asphaltenes, resins, and other undesirable materials.
The raw lube oil fractions from most crude oils contain components which
Page | 11
have undesirable characteristics for finished lubricating oils. These must be
removed or reconstituted by processes such as liquidliquid extraction,
crystallization, selective hydro cracking, and/or hydrogenation.
The undesirable characteristics include high pour points, large viscosity
changes with temperature (low VI), poor oxygen stability, poor color, high
cloud points, high organic acidity and high carbon- and sludge-forming
tendencies.

The processes used to change these characteristics are:

1. Solvent deasphalting to reduce carbon- and sludge-forming tendencies
2. Solvent extraction to improve viscosity index
3. Solvent dewaxing to lower cloud and pour points
4. Hydro treating and clay treating to improve color and oxygen stability
5. Hydro treating and clay treating to lower organic acidity [15]

And find complex representing conventional refining method in figure 3.1

Figure 3.1 conventional refining [16]

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3.2- Hybrid Type Refining
Combining Solvent extraction with Hydro-treating. it is advantaged with :
Low investment option for Group-I+ /Group-II base oils , Better yield and
quality of raffinate , Uses existing solvent extraction facilities ,
Debottlenecks solvent extraction , Preserve wax production . [17]

3.3 -Advanced Base Oil Refining Technologies

Advanced Refining include:
Hydrocracking+Catalystdewaxing/Isodewaxing+Wax isomerization.
Advantaged With: Reshape less desirable Hydrocarbon molecules, Convert
wax into high quality iso-paraffins, Removes impurity, No solvent is
required, Can make same product from different crude source. [18]

3.4 -More Recent Lube Base Oil Technologies

GTL synthesis promises an abundance of high performance lubricants
The Technology is costly But Base oils are of very high quality equivalent to
Group-III Product/synthetic. [19]

Fischer Tropsh
Purpose to produce very high quality base oils VI >140
Feed Natural gas
Operating conditions Catalyst: Fe/Co
Temp: 190 250C
Pressure: 10-40 bar
LHSV: 0.1 8.0
Yields 30

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And find complex in figure 3.2 process flow block diagram for GTL process
using FISCHER TROPSH method. [20]

Figure 3.2 GTL the Route for Waxy Lube Feeds [21]

Page | 14
 4- Comparative Properties of Base Oils

Each of lube oil processing technologies produce different spec lube oil and
that is clear in comparison indicated in table 4.1

Index Solv.Refined Hydrocracked GTL 36 Typical

Kin. Visc. CSt
at 40C 18.5 16.91 -
at 100C 3.81 3.95 4.5
VI 92 130 144
Pour Point, C -18 -27 -21
Noack , % wt 32 15.3 7.8
Total N2, ppm 17 12 --
Aromatics % wt 18.2 7.7 0
Non-aromatics, % wt 81.8 92.3 100% i-P
Table 4.1 comparison of different processes base oil [22]

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 5- Lube Oil Dewaxing Process

5.1 Solvent Dewaxing Process

The purpose of the solvent dewaxing process is the removal of wax from
lubes feed stocks and the improvement of low temperature properties of
lubricating oil base stocks. [23]
The purpose of the wax fractionation process is the removal of oil and low
melting point waxes to permit manufacture of low oil content waxes with
high melting points. [24]

Feed stocks and products

Dewaxing feed stocks Dewaxing Products

Solvent Extracted Distillates
Solvent extracted DA Oils
Deasphalted DA residue
Hydro cracked distillates
Hydro cracked DA residue
Unrefined distillates
Wax deoiling feed stocks
Slack waxes
Waxy distillates
Table 5.1 solvent dewaxing and wax deoiling feed stocks and products [25]
Solvent Neutral oils
Bright stock
Cylinder oils
Solvent Neutral oils
Bright stock and Neutral
Paraffin pale oils
Deoiling products
Hard wax & soft wax
Hard wax & soft wax

All lube stocks, except those from a relatively few highly naphthenic crude
oils, must be dewaxed or they will not flow properly at ambient
temperatures. Dewaxing is one of the most important and most difficult
processes in lubricating oil manufacturing.
There are two types of processes in use today. One uses refrigeration to
crystallize the wax and solvent to dilute the oil portion sufficiently to

Page | 16
permit rapid filtration to separate the wax from the oil. The other uses a
selective hydro cracking process to crack the wax molecules to light
hydrocarbons.[26]
There are two principal solvents used in the United States in solvent
dewaxing processes: propane and ketones. Dichloroethane-methylene is also
used in some other countries. The ketone processes use either a mixture of
methyl-ethyl-ketone (MEK) with methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) or MEK
with toluene. [27]
The solvents act as diluents for the high molecular weight oil fractions to
reduce the viscosity of the mixture and provide sufficient liquid volume to
permit pumping and filtering.
The process operations for both solvent processes are similar but differ in the
equipment used in the chilling and solvent recovery portions of the process.
Ketone dewaxing the most widely used processes uses mixtures of MEK
toluene and MEKMIBK for the solvent. [28]
MEKbenzene was used originally, but health hazards associated
with the handling of benzene as well as its cost resulted in the use of MEK
toluene in its place. MEKMIBK mixtures have fewer health problems than
the earlier used compositions [29]

Figure 5.1 Texaco Solvent Dewaxing Process [30]

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The products from the dewaxing unit are dewaxed oil and a slack wax.
The dewaxed oil next must go through a finishing step to improve its color
and color stability. The slack wax is used either for catalytic cracker feed or
undergoes a de-oiling operation before being sold as industrial wax as
indicated in Texaco solvent dewaxing process in figure 5.1.

5.2 Catalytic Dewaxing Processes

The removal of wax from lubricating oil base stocks by solvent dewaxing is
expensive from the stand point of investment and operating costs. Production
of low pour point (below -25f) oil is generally not practical.
Several petroleum refineries have patented various catalytic dewaxing
processes for the manufacture of lubricant base oil stocks. The processes
which have been commercialized to date were developed by the British
petroleum (BP) ,
Chevron and Mobil . BP and Mobil processes have also been applied to the
dewaxing of both fuels and lube fractions. [31]

5.2.1 The Bp Catalytic Dewaxing Process

This catalytic dewaxing process uses aproperiatly sysnthetic mordenite
containing platinium as the dewaxing catalkyst . simplified flow digram for
the BP process is in figure 5.2
Feed stock is sperated into hydrogen rich stream , fuel gas , gasoline and
dewaxed oil in the separators and stripper . the pour point of the oil is
reduced and color is improved . nitrogen and sulfur content slightly higer
than those of feed stock . [32]
This process can successfully dewax awide range of naphthenic feed stocks
and waxy or partially dewaxed feed stocks . however it is not suitable as
replacement for solvent dewaxing . [33]

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 Figure 5.2 BP catalytic dewaxing process [34]

5.2.2 The Mobil Lube Dewaxing Process

The Mobil Lube Dewaxing process (MLDW) process is most used catalytic
dewaxing process for the dewaxing of lube base stocks . MLDW Process is
shown in figure 5.3.
The main difference between MLDW and BP dewaxing process are the
second reactor containing hydrotreating catalyst is used in the MLDW
process to hydrogen finish the dewaxed product effluent from the dewaxing
reactor. [35]

Page | 19
 Figure 5.3 Mobil Lube Dewaxing Process [36]

5.2.3 The chevron catalytic dewaxing process

Process was commercialized in 1984 at chevron Richmond California
refinery. The process flow is similar to typical two stage fixed bed
hydrotreater wherein the effluent from the first stage dewaxing reactor is
stabilized in the second stage hydro refining reactor .
The VI is 4 to 7 units lower and yield is 4 to 5 Wt% lower for catallicaly
dewaxed oil than solvent dewaxed oils made from same feed stocks .
This unit is converted to the Chevron Iso-dewaxing process is the summer of
1993. [37]

Page | 20
5.3 Iso-Dewaxing Process

Hydroisomerization is the catalytic process for dewaxing waxy lubes and

conversion of waxes to high VI base stocks by isomerization of n-paraffin
structures to isoparaffins with one or more branches These branches are
usually methyl branches.
iso-paraffins have lower pour points than n-paraffins and can have quite high
VIs if the branches are close to the chain ends. Hydroisomerization is
distinguished from catalytic dewaxing via ZSM-5-type catalysts in that the
latter cracks n-paraffin structures to C3 to C8 molecules whereas the former
causes isomerization and has the distinct advantage that VI is retained in the
dewaxing step.

Isomerization is not the sole reaction pathway, since some cracking does
occur, producing high cetane diesel and some naphtha.
Dewaxing by isomerization was first commercialized by Chevron28 in 1993
at their Richmond, California, refinery using their proprietary
ISODEWAXING technology employing a zeolite catalyst (SAPO-11)
with a noble metal as a hydrogenation component. Subsequently the
ExxonMobil MSDW29 process was announced, employing a medium pore
(10-ring) zeolite.30 This was installed in their Jurong, Singapore,
hydrocracking lubes plant in 1997.18 Both processes are used with waxy
streams containing low levels of sulfur and nitrogen to avoid poisoning the
noble metal incorporated in the catalyst.

There is yet no technology to isomerize wax in waxy solvent refined stocks

that have not been severely hydrotreated to reduce sulfur and nitrogen to very
low levels.

Both Chevron and ExxonMobil processes employ hydrofinishing reactors

after dewaxing As a consequence of diesel formation, fractionation
of the dewaxer/hydrofinisher reactor product is required to separate
byproducts from base stock and establish base stock volatility.

Page | 21
ExxonMobil also offers a specific processMobil Wax Isomerization
(MWI)32for conversion of waxes to 140+ VI lubes. At the time of this
writing, Chevron and ExxonMobil are the only two companies offering this
type of dewaxing technology for lubricants production.

The advantages of hydroisomerization include :

Capital costs for building a hydroisomerization plant are considerably less
than for a solvent dewaxing plant.
Operating costs and emissions are reduced.
Hydroisomerization is applicable to the full slate of products from 40N to
bright stock.
Base stock yields are equal or better compared to either solvent dewaxing
or catalytic dewaxing.
Hydroisomerization produces base stocks with VIs higher than for solvent
or catalytic dewaxing. Product viscosity is similar to that of the waxy feed.
When coupled to a lubes hydrocracker, for the same VI as produced by
solvent dewaxing, hydroisomerization allows hydrocracker severity to be
reduced, giving higher yields of base stocks.
Product formulation costs are reduced and product performance is
enhanced by the higher paraffinicity of the products.
Hydroisomerization of wax feeds produces group III and group III
products.
Higher yields of group III base oils from hydrocracker bottoms are
achieved.
Higher VI base stocks reduce volatility.
Hydro-isomerization produces high value middle distillates as by-products.
[38]

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5.3.1The Chevron Iso-Dewaxing Process
Chevron has recently announced the development of a new process for the
dewaxing of lubricant base oils. it is understood that the process is base on
anew properitry catalyst which isomerizes wax and provides a higher VI than
is obtainable by either the solvent dewaxing or other catalytic dewaxing
processes . [39]
Rather than removing the wax (and lowering yield), it catalytically
isomerizes the molecular structure of the wax into C20+ isoparaffins. These
isoparaffins have high viscosity index (VI), low pour points, and excellent
resistance to oxidation. [40]
Furthermore, because the ISODEWAXING process preserves the base oils
paraffinicity, it can produce higher product VI and/or higher yields than other
dewaxing processes. A broad range of feeds can be processed from feeds
with low wax content to those with close to 100% wax to produce a broad
range of base oils with VI ranging from 95 to 140 and above. Figure 5.4
show process flow digram for the isodewaxing/iso finishing process [41]

Figure 5.4 Chevron Iso-Dewaxing process [42]

Page | 23
Comparison of the solvent dewaxed and iso dewaing oil yield and properties
is presented in table 5.2 and 5.3 . these data show that the VI of the solvent
and iso dewaxed oil are essentially equivenent and that the yield of dewaxed
oil is greater for the isodewaxing . the data also show that the paraffin
contenet of the d\solvent dewaxed oil is lower . [43]

Table 5.2 Feed, solvent dewaxed and Iso-dewaxed lube oil specs [44]

Table 5.4 a comparison of the product distribution for solvent dewaxing and
isodewaxing [45]

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 Table 5.3 Feed, solvent dewaxed and Iso-dewaxed lube oil specs for some types
of lube oil [43]
Acomparison of the product distribution for solvent dewaxing and
isodewaxing is provided in table 5.4. acomparisoon of these data with the
data for the MLDW process show that the isodewaxing process produces
more naphtha, middle distillate and base oil than does the MLDW as
provided in table 5.5 .[46]

Table 5.5 a comparison of the product distribution for MLDW-dewaxing and

isodewaxing [47]
Page | 25
5.3.2 Exxon Mobil Iso-Dewaxing Process (MSDW)
A typical configuration of a modern, all-catalytic plant is depicted in Figure
5.5 , The Hydrocracker and the MSDW/MAXSAT unit are operated in three
modes, or blocks: a Light, a Heavy, and a DAO/ Bright Stock block. Each
block produces one main basestock product and may produce one or more
additional lube products depending on the specific configuration. This
scheme is typical of a lubes hydrocracker, where the hydrocracker operation
is adjusted primarily to maximize lube production. [48]

Figure 5.5 Modern Plant Schemes [49]

There are also hybrid schemes, for example, where the hydrocracker is
operated on a wide VGO cut feed, primarily for fuels production, with the
MSDW unit operated either on a wide However, the technology flexibility is
such that a refiner can choose to operate the entire train by processing one
single, wider-cut feed.
This is commonly referred to as broad cut operation, where all the desired
lube basestocks are fractionated at the very end of the process High-
performance catalytic isomerization dewaxing is the preferred route for the
production of the high-quality engine oil basestocks demanded by todays
vehicles.
MSDW/MAXSAT is EMREs premier lube catalytic dewaxing and
Hydrofinishing technology. A typical process configuration is a two-reactor
Page | 26
system. The first reactor primarily transforms the linear paraffins (wax) into
high-quality lube products (isoparaffins) and accomplishes some saturation
of the aromatic compounds. The second reactor deeply saturates aromatics to
impart outstanding color and stability.

This proven technology is capable of processing a very wide range of

feedstocks, varying from hydrotreated or hydrocracked VGOs and DAOs to
hydrotreated raffinates and slack waxes. Typical products are basestocks in
the API Group II to III+ range, with viscosity grades as low as 2 and as high
as 25 cSt at 100C, depending on the feed. [50]
Typical MSDW process is shown in figure 5.6

Figure 5.6 MSDW processes [51]

Page | 27
5.3.3 Iso Dewaxing Catalytic Reaction
The Mobil process for catalytic dewaxing by selective hydrocracking of wax
molecules arose from that companys development work on zeolites and the
discovery of the remarkable selectivity exhibited by these catalysts some 20
years prior to first commercialization. In 1960 Weise and Frilette, of the then
Socony Mobil Research and Development Laboratories,1 reported that n-
decane cracked readily to lighter paraffins over the sodium form of a zeolite
known as 13X, whereas the bulkier molecules,-pinene and
isopropylbenzene, underwent no reaction (Figure 5.7).[52]

Figure 5.7 Zeolites reaction and effects on N-Decane [53]

Furthermore, the products from n-decane cracking were exclusively

unbranched. In contrast, cracking the same feed over amorphous silica-
alumina or the calcium form of the zeolite gave branched products (Table
5.6).

Page | 28
 Table 5.6 Different Zeolites Products on N-Decane[54]

This implied that not only was there selectivity for the shape of molecules
that could access the reactive site, but also for those that departed. The
eventual finding for our specific purposes was that waxy lubes, when reacted
over certain zeolites, undergo selective destruction (hydrocracking) of n-,
iso-, and other paraffins responsible for high pour points, and the process
yields low pour point base stocks.

Zeolites, as previously described, are crystalline microporous solids with

well-defined structures made up of interlocking microporous SiO4 and AlO4.

Microporous means that the pores have dimensions of less than 20 , on the
order of the size of many petroleum-related molecules, and their crystalline
nature means that they have a narrow pore distribution (mesoporous
materials have pore sizes between 20 and 500 , macroporous materials
have pores larger than 500 ).
This combination of features not only restricts the size of molecules that can
enter the pores, but also the dimensions of the transition state and of the
molecules that can successfully leave. For these reasons, zeolites have been
termed shape selective.

In petroleum usage, the term hydroisomerization is employed in

association with the processes using SAPO-11 (SAPO is a silica-alumina
phosphate molecular sieve) and other catalysts central to Chevrons
ISODEWAXING process and to ExxonMobils MSDW and MWI
Page | 29
processes, where paraffins are hydroisomerized rather than being
hydrocracked. While use of catalytic dewaxing here would also be
applicable, the distinction draws a convenient line between the two
processes.

Pore size confers the ability to exclude molecules from reactive sites within
the zeolite. Small pore zeolites can sorb ( take up as absorb) only n-
paraffins, primary alcohols, or other straight-chain molecules, while medium
pore ones, of which the prime example is ZSM-5, are accessible not only to
n-paraffins, but also isoparaffins and some larger molecules as well. Large
pore zeolites such as mordenite (12-membered rings) show poorer
selectivity. [55]

Page | 30
 6- SUMMARY
Lubricating oil has strategic importance for all moving parts of machines and
other equipments we use in our modern life. And so it occupies big space of
interest in the process licensors upgrading and development.
That industry undertakes great upgrade to achieve good lubricating
characteristics like V.I, Pour point, Flash point. The upgrade made us
categorize the lubricating oil accord to specs to 5 grades from grade I to
grade V and every increase of grade indicate increase of specs and better
quality.
To achieve that the refining processes upgraded and changed from old
solvent extraction techniques to the catalytic reaction easy, economic
techniques.
One of the main specs concerned in the lube oil is the pour point, which we
need to get decrease in the final lube oil product.
The process technology regard pour point is dewaxing. Ordinary method was
solvent dewaxing using selective solvents; update for that process is the use
of catalytic dewaxing to replace the old technique and companies carried that
update was Shell, BP, Mobil and Chevron.

But Chevron and Exxon Mobil carried modern technique for producing
better, more yield lubricating oil this technique is isodewaxing which include
conversion of long straight paraffin to iso-parrafins more valuable than long
chain paraffin instead of cracking that long chain paraffin in the older
catalytic dewaxing technique.

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 REFERENCES

Lubricating Base Oil Production - Technology Overview ,Dr Manoj

Srivastava Indian Institute of Petroleum P.O. IIP, Mohkampur
Dehradun 248005 Uttaranchal India [12,13,14, 17,18,19,20,21,22]
Handbook of Petroleum Refining Processes - Robert A. Meyers 32
CBI/lummus-technology [39,40,41,42]
Lubricant Base Oil and Wax processing , Avilino sequeira Jr , Texaco
Inc . [1,2,3,4,16,23,24,25,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,43,44,45,46,47]
Petroleum Refining Technology and Economics ,James H. Gary ,
Glenn E. Handwerk [15,26,27,28,29]
Hydrocarbon processing Magazine 2004 [40]
alex-petroleum.com/PDF/LubeOilComplexProducts.properties [11]
bharatpetroleum.com/MR_Lube_Oil_Base_Stock [9]
gechem.us/pdfs/MSDS-BS150.pdf [10]
ets-oil.com/web/ETS-122215-0-Bright Stock.pdf [8]
process chemistry of lubricant base stocks [38,52,53,54,55]
Exxon mobile Technical website [48,49,50]
Exxon Mobil Lubes base stocks technology [51]

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