Prospects for obtaining base oils from bitumen-bearing rocks of the Karasyaz-Taspas deposit

The improper disposal of used engine oil presents significant environmental challenges, including soil and water contamination, highlighting the need for an effective recycling solution. This study explores the production of base oil from used engine oil using vacuum distillation combined with clay treatment, aimed at providing an environmentally friendly product through an efficient recycling method. Vacuum distillation was employed as the first step to remove water, light fractions, and impurities, ensuring minimal thermal degradation. The distillate was then treated using three types of clay—commercial-grade, untreated natural, and acid-activated natural clay—to eliminate residual impurities and enhance the physicochemical properties of the base oil. To characterize the treated base oil, FTIR spectroscopy was conducted alongside physicochemical tests to evaluate properties such as density, viscosity, flash point, pour point, sulfur content, and color. The FTIR analysis confirmed the removal of polar compounds and oxidized impurities, demonstrating the effectiveness of the treatment. The results showed that vacuum distillation, combined with acid-activated clay, yielded base oil with significantly improved properties, including reduced sulfur content (0.014%), higher flash point (236.4°C), and enhanced fluidity. Among the clays tested, acid-activated clay exhibited superior adsorption performance due to its increased surface area and porosity. The overall base oil yield was 42%, indicating the efficiency of the process. This study concludes that the combined approach of vacuum distillation and clay treatment is an effective and sustainable method for recycling used engine oil. This approach minimizes hazardous waste, reduces dependence on virgin crude oil, and promotes sustainable waste management practices. The findings underscore the potential of this method as a scalable solution for addressing the environmental challenges associated with used oil disposal.

Modern lube oils are prepared from base oils (base oil mixtures) and additives. The allotted quality parameters and the proper application properties are assured by the harmonical integration of these components. Some key lube oil properties depend on the quality of the base oil. For example a new demand has raised in the area of engine oils in the last couple of years: the demand is to contribute to the lower emission of the vehicles. This means the development of engine oils with low sulphated ash, low metal, sulphur and phosphorous content (“low SAPS” engine oils). In order to reach the adequate properties, the base oil (which is the main component of the engine oils) has to be produced with modern and advanced processes. The conventional base oil production line has its own disadvantages and limitations, so the catalytic processes were spread to enhance the viscosity index and to reduce the pour point of the base oils. It was necessary to develop and apply base oil production processes and technologies which are flexible to the crude oil quality and can produce environmentally friendly base oils with high viscosity index. To reach these goals the most adequate technologies are the catalytic base oil production processes. In the experimental section of this paper the results of hydroisomerization of wax from Hungarian crude oil on Pt/zeolite/Al2O3 catalyst are presented. Based on our experiments we established that with hydroisomerization base oils with very high or extra high viscosity index and low pour point can be produced from high molecular weight paraffinic hydrocarbon mixture. These base oils with low sulphur and aromatic content are appropriate, for example to produce energy efficient and environmentally friendly engine oils.

<div class="htmlview paragraph">Changes in the performance requirements of passenger car (PCEO) and heavy duty (HDEO) engine oils are dra-matically impacting the design of tomorrow's automotive lubricants. Specifically, lubricant base oils are shifting toward higher quality API Group II+ (100 - 120 VI) and Group III versus more traditional API Group I and Group II.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">A feature of premium base oils is high Viscosity Index (VI). Since base oil VI is linked to volatility at a particular kinematic viscosity (KV), higher VI reduces base oil and finished oil volatility. This is key for ILSAC GF-3 PCEO requirements where significant volatility reduction is required to reduce oil consumption. High base oil VI also allows for higher base oil KV and reduced viscosity modifier (VM) treat which improves shear stability of finished fluid. This also provides opportunities to formulate PCEO against the European engine oil requirements where volatility and shear stability are key performance requirements.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Although improvements in low temperature fluidity are not expected to be limiting for tomorrow's automotive engine oils, the selection of dewaxing operation still plays an important role. For example, low temperature viscosity is improved through hydro-catalytic versus solvent dewaxing. This is tied to the type and amount of residual wax in the base oil.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Engine performance is affected by base oil composition. Higher saturates base oils are beneficial with the new API CH-4 (PC-7) HDEO lubricants. Oxidation and engine performance benefits, in sludge and deposit control, of higher saturates base oils are key to achieving the ILSAC GF-3 performance limits.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The impact of base oil composition on PCEO and HDEO performance is discussed in terms of several engine oil properties. These include volatility, shear stability, low temperature fluidity and engine performance. This will focus on future North American and current European engine oil qualities and the shift to higher quality API Group II+ and Group III base oils.</div>

Base oils make up the majority of the content of engine oils and substantially impact the overall performance of the finished lubricant product. The oxidative and thermal stability of the base oil are critical factors in defining the quality of automobile lubricating oil. Thus, it is critical to understand the degrading behavior of base oils and engine oils. The oxidative and thermal stability of several base oils and engine oil were thoroughly investigated in this study. Three distinct types of base oil (base 1, 2 and 3) and motor oil were produced and physically characterized. The samples were dried in a drying oven at atmospheric pressure and 150 ℃ for 24 h. The impact of heat treatment on the samples’ oxidative stability was investigated using a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR). The thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the samples’ thermal stability (TGA). The study was done in an inert atmosphere using nitrogen gas and a 10 ℃ min−1 heating rate from 30 to 900 ℃. The experimental results indicate that base oils and engine oil resisted oxidation since no apparent chemical structural alteration was seen following 24-h heat treatment. Meanwhile, engine oil demonstrated the most outstanding onset temperature of 298 ℃, followed by base oil three (276 ℃), base oil two (275 ℃), and base oil one (262 ℃). Additionally, the TGA profile revealed that engine oil had the highest thermal stability at 5, 50, and 90% weight loss. Base oil three, base oil two, and base oil one all followed this pattern. Nonetheless, further research is necessary to better understand the mechanisms at action and assist in creating an industry-specific optimal solution.KeywordsBase oilsEngine oilOxidative stabilityThermal stabilityInfrared spectra

An analysis of the rheological properties of various oils and their formulations with selected rheological additives (Visconyl‐200 and ECA‐6911) was performed. Base oils (OS and OU) obtained on a large laboratory scale were the primary subject of the investigation. They were produced according to classical and modified base oil technologies. The modification introduced an additional process of mild oxidation of atmospheric residue before vacuum distillation. Other oils, such as aromatic and saturated hydrocarbons separated from the OS and OU oils, as well as oil fractions (1S–5S and 1U‐5U) obtained from the base oils by vacuum distillation, have also been investigated.Using the rheological properties determined for the distillate oil fractions formulated with the Visconyl and ECA additives, the empirical formulae describing the dependence of kinematic viscosity v50, c and v100, c and of the pour point of the compositions, on the basic physico‐chemical properties of the base oils, and on the type and concentration of additive, have been found. The theoretical viscosity index values of the oil compositions were also characterised indirectly by using the empirical formulae describing kinematic viscosities of the compositions at 50 and 100°C. The formulae obtained were successfully tested with several selected base oils.

Despite having detrimental impacts on the environment and human health, used engine oil is not properly disposed of in Ghana. However, used engine oil can be a valuable resource when recycled. This study investigates the recovery of base oils from used engine oils collected in one Ghanaian municipality. The used engine oils are re‐refined either through acid‐clay treatment or solvent extraction. Pour point, density, viscosity index, and total acid number of used engine oil and re‐refined oils were measured in order to evaluate the two re‐refining processes used and assess whether it is appropriate to reuse the re‐refined oils as base oils. The pour point, total acid number, and viscosity index of the re‐refined oils were significantly different from those of the used engine oils. The density of the re‐refined oils varied little from that of the used engine oils (by 0.83% to 6.65%). These changes indicate the separation of some components, primarily impurities, from used engine oil as a result of re‐refining. Compared to solvent extraction, acid‐clay treatment was found to be less selective. When nitric acid or sulphuric acid was used, acid‐clay treatment often produced group I and II base oils, whereas hydrochloric acid typically produced group III base oils. Also, the solvent extraction process frequently yielded oils with very high viscosity indices comparable to group III base oils. It is recommended that the type of base oil preferred for the production of new lubricants should be taken into account when deciding on a specific method for re‐refining used engine oil.

Driven by the dual imperatives of environmental sustainability and economic self-sufficiency, the research addresses the critical challenge of WEO management in developing economies like Nigeria. A laboratory-scale, batch-operated vacuum distillation unit was fabricated using accessible engineering principles. The experimental process involved atmospheric dehydration, vacuum distillation for separating diesel and lubricating oil fractions, and a final polishing step with thermally activated Attapulgite clay. The produced oils were rigorously characterized and compared against virgin lubricating oil and commercial diesel using standard ASTM methods, EDXRF, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that this two-step process effectively removes a broad spectrum of contaminants; including water, light hydrocarbons, wear metals, and oxidation products. The re-refined base oil exhibited physicochemical properties, such as viscosity index (93.4), flash point (209°C), and total acid number (0.4 mg KOH/g), that are on par with virgin base oil and meet industry-specific quality standards. A high-quality diesel by-product was also recovered, with properties comparable to commercial diesel, enhancing the economic viability of the process. The findings confirm that vacuum distillation coupled with clay treatment is a technically effective and environmentally sound method for WEO re-refining, providing a pragmatic, scalable, and economically attractive solution for sustainable waste management in regions facing a lack of advanced refining infrastructure.

This paper focuses on the treatment of waste engine oils that have gone through an acetic acid recycling process. A recycling process was invented, and the findings eventually became similar to some of the more conventional approaches. Recycled oil can be put back into automobile engines. Using acetic acid has the advantage that it reacts very little, if at all, with base oils. Recycling happens in a room with ambient temperature. According to studies on its properties, acetic acid doesn't really affect base oils or oil additives. After being treated with 0.8 percent acetic acid, the used oil was separated into two layers, a dark, black sludge at the container's bottom and a transparent, dark red oil on top of it. The findings of this paper were compared to base oils provided by other recycling methods. They revealed that the recycled engine oil obtained by acetic acid treatment is equal to that obtained throughother traditional approaches.

One of the main concerns with lubricating oil relates to used oil management for both industrial and engine oils, although the environmental impact of gasoline and diesel engine oils is the most critical. Provided that efficient management systems are in place, most used oil should not reach the environment, so, the major question is how to dispose of collected used oil. The first option lies in burning it as a fuel, the second in recycling (reclaiming, reprocessing, re‐refining). The latter allows recovery of mineral base oils, which are valuable constituents of crude oil.Mobile (on site) and fixed plants for industrial oil recycling will first be discussed, and the paper will look at the most modern re‐refining processes that produce base oils of as high quality as virgin base oils. Based on current re‐refining experience, the quality of finished lubricants blended from re‐refined base stocks is also noted. Re‐refining today may be of significant benefit to the economy and can, of course, protect the environment. All modern re‐refining technologies produce small amounts of by‐products in which toxic materials may have been concentrated. A final aspect of reprocessing used oil is to integrate it, after hydrogen treatment, into existing refineries. This valuable raw material can then be directly routed to a lube oil unit or even to a cracking unit for conversion to gasoline. The integration of used oil treatment processes into selected refineries may be the most effective pathway to used oil disposal.In this first part, the author looks at the nature of the problems associated with used oil, its use as a fuel, and simple recycling. He then goes on to look at major re‐refining processes, starting with hydrogenation (KTI, Mohawk, BERC/NIPER, and PROP technologies). Part 2 will describe other processes, including a range of vacuum distillation/clay treatment technologies.

Engine oil (EO) is produced by mixing base oil derivatives from crude oil with chemical additives to the lubricity of moving parts and reduce the friction inside the engine. Used lubricating oil (ULO) is one of the hazardous materials that consists of pollution harmful to the environment, it needs to be managed properly. In this work, vacuum distillation technique is used to recycle used lubricating oil. Used lubricating oil samples from two different brands of diesel engine oil (20w-50) and gasoline engine oil (10W-30) are used in this study. Various properties of ULO and recycled oil were characterized such as kinematic viscosity, viscosity index, density, pour point, flash point, Sulphur content, and Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy FTIR. The yield recycles for ULO of gasoline engines, diesel engines, and mix (gasoline and diesel) by vacuum process were 85%, 74%, and 75% respectively, it was discovered that the sulfur component decreased from 9792.3 ppm of ULO to 405 ppm of yield distillates. The pour point results show an increase from -30 °C of used lubricating oil to -18 and -6 for distillates cut for vacuum distillation, compared to the pour point of Iraqi base oil 40 and 60 Stook (SN150 and SN200) -18 °C and -6 °C

<div class="htmlview paragraph">Significant changes are occurring in the development of automatic transmission fluids (ATF) which impact the selection of both additive components and lubricant base oils. In particular, the need for improved viscometrics at high and low temperatures, combined with the need for increased oxidation performance and shear stability are moving formulators towards use of higher quality API Group II (100 - 120 VI) and/or Group III base oils.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Several benefits are apparent with the use of API Group III base oils in ATF. Their naturally high Viscosity Index of >120 provides opportunities to use a higher base oil viscosity compared to API Group I and in many instances Group II base oils. This reduces the amount of Viscosity Modifier in the finished ATF and improves overall shear stability. Higher kinematic viscosity also improves volatility which leads to improved oxidation resistance.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Low temperature fluidity can be improved by modifying the amount and type of residual wax in the base oil. This is achieved through two main factors, namely: (i) feed selection and (ii) the type of dewaxing process, isodewaxing being preferred to conventional solvent dewaxing. Finally, the higher concentration of saturated versus aromatic molecules in an API Group II and Group III base oil provide enhanced antioxidant response.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The relationship between base oil composition and ATF performance will be discussed in terms of low temperature Brookfield viscosity, shear stability and oxidation performance. Particular emphasis will be given to API Group II+ and Group III base oils produced by severe hydro-treating and isodewaxing.</div>

In order to improve the material properties and increase its economics of Thermal Plastic Elastomers(TPE) should use a suitable base oil and necessary additives when TPE compounding. The composition of base oil will play an important factor that will affect the TPE material properties. If too much Paraffinic content or too high CP content, high aniline point of base oil will result in oil bleeding, poor tensile strength, elongation and too soft weakness after TPE compounding, This poor properties can not meet the need of TPE processing industrial. In general,TPE processing oil comes from traditional refining base oil, but this traditional base oil can not meet the need of high quality lubricating oil for vehicle engine oil and industrial lubricants in future. So, unconventional base oil, e. g. hydrocracking base oil or wax hydroisomerization oil will predominate in base oil supply. But these high quality base oil contains much Paraffinic content or high CP content, high aniline point will have demerit when using in TPE processing. Modification of this high quality base oil with suitable additive can meet the requirement of TPE processing oil a successful study will be shown in this paper.

This study investigated the impact of engine oil formulation on particulate matter (PM) characteristics from a light-duty diesel engine. The test engine was a 1.6 L Euro-5 diesel engine operated from low- to high-speed and high-load conditions. Specially formulated nonadditive containing base oil and genuine oil were evaluated. For diesel PM characterization, physicochemical analytic procedures were conducted on engine oil formulation, oil flushing, PMs sampling, morphology, and particle constituent determination. Size-resolved particle number (PN) concentration at the engine-out position was evaluated by differential mobility spectrometer (DMS). Nucleation mode particles originating from engine oil consumption during the expansion stroke had a higher concentration from genuine oil than those from base oil. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to analyze the morphology patterns and atomic compositions with engine oil packages. From the SEM analysis, spherical PM of nucleation and accumulation mode particles were agglomerated on a quartz filter. In the XPS spectrum, more engine oil additive fractions of Ca, P, and Zn were found in the PM sample from genuine oil. In conclusion, the variation of physicochemical engine oil properties and additive amounts had strong contributions to engine oil derived PN emissions, morphology, and additive metal compositions in the exhaust gas stream.

<div class="htmlview paragraph">Organic composition such as mineral oils and lubricating compositions are subject to deterioration by oxidation and in particular are subject to such deterioration at high temperatures in the presence of air. This deterioration often leads to buildup of insoluble deposits which can foul engine parts, deteriorate performance and increase maintenance.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">It is desirable that an effective inhibitor which can reduce deposit forming tendencies and improve antioxidation capacities, is employed in a lubricant oil. In our study, an oil-soluble additive octyldithiobenzoic acid compound derivative of thiosalicylic acid was synthesized. The antioxidation and deposit inhibition properties in mineral 150 SN, ester base or engine oils, were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), oxidation-corrosion tests, and modified micro-oxidation test respectively. In differential scanning calorimetry test, this additive can improve oxidation induction time and onset temperature of mineral oil or engine oil at high temperature, even better than commercial zinc dialkyldithiophospate (ZDDP) and dialkyldithiocarbamate derivative (BDDC) at same treat level. In the oxidation-corrosion test, in comparison to the ester oil, the additive showed a reduction in viscosity increase of about 73.7% at 0.5 wt.% concentration, an increase in the total acid number at 0.5 wt.% concentration of 41.5% less than those of the ester oil. Moreover, these results indicate that the additive shows good oxidative synergies with the arylamine antioxidant or synthetic oil FSPE. In the thin film micro-oxidation test, by means of measurement of deposit weight, the data shows that the additive can reduce deposit formed in base oil or engine oil significantly, and the behaviors of decrease in deposit weight were consistent with the result of the former two antioxidant tests.</div>

As conventional hydrocarbon resources become depleted, there is growing interest in developing unconventional sources of raw materials, such as natural bitumen (NB) and oil-bituminous rocks (OBR). This article presents the results of comprehensive scientific research into the physical and chemical properties and composition of the natural bitumen found in the Karasyaz-Taspas field in Mangistau, Kazakhstan, and the development of effective technological solutions for its processing. A comprehensive analysis of the elemental, group and fractional composition of the natural bitumen was carried out. On the basis of this analysis, the technological value of the natural bitumen as a raw material for obtaining a wide range of target products, such as fuel distillates, base oils and construction bitumen, was established. Based on experimental data, the effectiveness of extracting natural bitumen using a nitrite composition has been demonstrated, as has the potential of distillate and residual products. Distillate fractions were found to be suitable for use as components of motor fuels and lubricants, while residual products were found to be suitable for the production of road and construction bitumen. Technological solutions for the complex processing of natural bitumen have been developed and put forward. The results obtained confirm the potential for the integrated development of Kazakhstan’s oil-bituminous rock reserves as a valuable source of hydrocarbons, opening up opportunities to expand the raw material base and promote the development of the Republic of Kazakhstan’s petrochemical industry.