Lubricant Producers(LUPAN) protests multiple taxation by the Nigerian Govt. Agencies

The Lubricant Producers Association of Nigeria (LUPAN) has protested the continued multiple taxation from both the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for the importation of base oil into the country.

A statement signed by the executive secretary of LUPAN, Emeka Obidike, which was made available to LEADERSHIP Weekend yesterday frowned that its members were being tasked with the payment of dues by NAFDAC, despite being shown a genuine DPR license. Obidike alleged that NAFDAC had in most occasions confiscated their consignments and also gone ahead to detain the consignments of importers, insisting on beingpresented with NAFDAC licenses and proof of the dues being paid. The statement explained that LUPAN members are duly licensed by the DPR to import, store and blend base oil in Nigeria, for their blending requirements.

It further stated that the base oil so imported is a mineral based crude oil derivative and is classified as petroleum oil and oils obtained from bituminous minerals in the national list of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff and Fiscal Policy Measures for 2015, and not obtained from chemical synthesis (synthetic oil).

He continued: “Indigenous blenders are constantly being threatened with the shutting down of their plants and seizure of their consignments and are persistently being faced with the risk of losing their businesses, corrosion of their goodwill and professional integrity, asphyxiating demurrages and transactions and defaulting in the repayment of facilities.

By the Petroleum Act, the Department of Petroleum Resources is the primary regulator of the petroleum sector and its sub sector and that their continued refusal to acknowledge this fact could be construed as a blatant disregard and encroachment on the authority and jurisdiction of the DPR.”

The association therefore appeals to the federal government to call to order the coordinating ministries of both the DPR and NAFDAC with a view to delineating the jurisdiction of both agencies’ with respect to licensing of base oil importation in Nigeria.


Source: NigeriaToday

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NUPENG shuts down TOTAL Nigeria Lubricants section

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Friday shut down the lubricant section of French oil giant, Total over allegations of anti-labour practices.

The South-West Chairman of NUPENG, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the clampdown was as a result of a threat by the management of Total to sack 70 workers for belonging to the union.

Korodo said that members of the union were deployed at the main entrance to Total’s blending plant to disrupt activities.

He alleged that the management of Total had engaged a contractor, named Jomoy Nig. Ltd., to employ casual worker for the lubricant section of Total at Kirikiri in Apapa, Lagos.

“Because of the inexperience of the management team of Jomoy, they are planning to sack over 70 workers of the company because they joined the union.

“The company has now directed all staff of the company to report at the office of Jomoy to collect cheques for December salary.

“The memo required them to bring along their staff ID cards and HMO ID cards.”

Korodo said that the company was planning to withdraw the staff ID cards from the workers and then sack them.

He said that the union, therefore, resorted to shutting down activities at the blending plant in a bid to prevent sacking of workers.

The unionist said that if the management of Total did not address the issues, the showdown might be extended to other product lines of the company.

On Dec. 15, NUPENG carried a similar protest to the Lagos headquarters of U.S. oil major ExxonMobil, shutting down operations of the company over allegations that the company had sacked 150 workers.

Oil companies in Nigeria have embarked on cut-cutting measures because of a biting economic recession in the West African country.

Analysts estimate that no fewer than four million jobs have been lost in Nigeria in recent years.


Source: TheCableNg

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JOBS: Blender Operator Needed at UrbanView Logistics

Job Responsibilities:

• Assists Operations Manager\ Plant Manager with assigned product ordering and inventory control.
• Responsible for blend scheduling.
•  Ensures all quality control standards and procedures are followed.
•  Responsible for placement, loading and unloading of bulk products.
• Determines the need for overtime and coordinates this with the Plant Manager.
• Coordinates with the logistics, customer service, production and shipping departments to ensure efficient product availability and movement.
• Attends all required meetings and training programs.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum of OND in any Engineering or Science course.
• Normally requires an understanding of material handling and blending plus experience to demonstrate the ability to provide leadership for department.
• Demonstrates essential abilities including business knowledge, collaboration, communication, customer focus, decision making and skill development.
• Understanding and experience manufacturing best practices, inventory development and management, health, safety and environmental regulatory compliance, and product knowledge and proficiency including lubricants.
•  Demonstrated lead experience including orientation, training and development, etc. and the ability to get work done through others.
•  Proven team building skills and the ability to work independently and in a team-oriented environment.

Mode of Application:

• Interested and qualified candidates should forward their CV to urbanviewlogistics@gmail.com using the position applying for as the subject of the mail. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

OR APPLY HERE

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Next generation, API-certified diesel engine oils officially debut

Lubricant producers can begin marketing two new American Petroleum Institute-licensed categories, CK-4 and FA-4. Soon to be referenced in on- and off-road diesel engine manufacturer specifications, they exhibit improved shear stability, oxidation resistance and aeration control properties against the API CJ-4 formulations they succeed. The API Lubricants Group developed the categories’ performance thresholds and testing guidelines to a) meet the varying needs of aging, new and in-service power packages; and, b) help on- and off-road engine manufacturers address more stringent regulations.

You may want to read----->>>API Diesel Engine Oil Category  for better understanding of symbols

“December 1 was an industry milestone as it marks the first day CK-4 and FA-4 engine oils can be marketed and sold on retail shelves or in bulk,” said API Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System Senior Manager Kevin Ferrick. “The time between approval of the categories last winter and the first licensing gave large, medium, and small oil marketers the ability to test their new formulations and ready them for market. This signals the culmination of almost nine years of cross-industry collaboration in the development of the new standards.”

CK-4 oils replace API CJ-4 products and are backward compatible with most applications where engine
manufacturers recommend the latter. API FA-4 oils are formulated to provide protection in some current and new on-road engines, and augment compliance with anticipated emissions control and fuel economy rules covering such power. They have limited or no backward compatibility with on- and off-road diesel engines for which manufacturers recommend CJ-4 lubricants.

Both CK-4 and FA-4 best existing standards by providing enhanced protection against oil oxidation and engine wear, particulate filter blocking, piston deposits, and degradation of low- and high-temperature properties. Technicians and consumers need to check owner’s manuals or with engine manufacturers to determine which new oil is right for their vehicle, API notes. Visually different API Service Symbol Donuts distinguish the two categories: the FA-4 Donut features a shaded section, the CK-4 Donut maintains the CJ-4 scheme. J

Source::Concrete Products

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Duplicate lubricant being sold to 2-wheeler owners in India

"If a staff at a bike service centre try to lure you with cheap engine oil next time, don't fall into the trap."  These were the words of a TimesIndia editor while publishing this article. Duplicate lubricant is being manufactured in the city as original product and being sold at a hefty discount. City police on Saturday arrested for the anomaly, three persons who ran auto repair cum service centers on the outskirts of the city.

During interrogation, it was found that the nexus is being run from Alambagh and Lalbagh, the two automobile spares and accessories hubs. Oil company Castrol gave specific inputs to city police on the basis of which 81 litre duplicate engine oil was seized from the auto repair market located across Mohan road in Para.

While 1 litre branded oil costs over Rs 240, the three garage owners sold the same amount of duplicate lubricant for Rs 140. Police seized the 65 containers from the three shops which were located within a distance of 1 km.
"The containers were bearing the logo of Castrol company. Three representatives of Castrol were with us during the raid and checked the viscosity of the oil. It was evident, they were not selling the original product," said Para police station house officer D K Upadhyay.

Police team comprising sub-inspector Deepandra Yadav and Siyaram picked up Brahmanand, Sampurna Singh and Santram, the three garage owners. An FIR was registered against the trio for cheating and infringement of Copyright Act.

While grilling the three, police got names of a businessman from Alambagh apart from an auto part dealer in Lalbagh market. "We have some leads and are trying to trace the unit where duplicate lubricant is being manufactured," added Upadhyay.
Use of poor quality engine oil generates contamination and sludge which decreases the life of a two-wheeler. Duplicate lubricant is made by processing crude oil but is much inferior in quality.

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Hydraulic Oils to Improve the Reliability of Hydraulic Systems-- (Mark Draper, Technology Manager and Hydraulics Project Lead of Shell)

EN Europe: Shell has recently launched a new version of its Tellus. How can your hydraulic oils can help improve the reliability of hydraulic systems?

Mr. Draper: Shell Tellus S2 MX and Shell Tellus S2 VX have been designed to improve system reliability in three distinct ways.  Firstly, they provide enhanced anti-wear protection to ensure that the equipment last longer in service and protects the customer’s investment.  This is reflected in the approval listing by Bosch Rexroth for Shell Tellus S2 MX (with Shell Tellus S2 VX planned to follow), a demanding new approval issued in response to increased performance demands of modern equipment.  This enhanced anti-wear capability also provides potential benefit for older equipment so is not just relevant to new installations.

Secondly, they are designed for longer oil life, with twice the life of the previous products in the ASTM D943 oxidation test.  Finally, they  provide excellent system efficiency through separation from air and water, and filtration performance.  These benefits help ensure that equipment operates as it was designed to do throughout the service interval, not just immediately after a fluid change.

IEN Europe: Which are the main challenges the sector is now facing? How do you respond to these needs?

Mr. Draper: In recent years, changes to operating conditions have increased stress on manufacturing equipment. With productivity paramount, customers are seeking to increase output capacity by minimizing unplanned equipment shutdowns and extending maintenance cycles.  Machinery is required to work under higher temperatures, greater power density and in operating pressures that have risen by as much as 500 bars. What’s more, the trend towards downsizing equipment means a smaller oil reservoir, which means there is less lubricant available in the hydraulic system. In many countries, particularly places like China, there have also been rapid technological advances. For example, the growing prevalence of industrial robots are making the need for reliable, precise, unmanned equipment operation more vital than ever. That requires lubricants and greases that can be trusted to deliver efficient performance without close monitoring or interruption.

IEN Europe: Research and Development plays a critical role in the innovation process. Which are the main sectors your R&D department is now investing on?

Mr. Draper: We have over 200 scientists and engineers working in specialised technical centres for lubricants in China, Japan (JV), US and Germany and we work closely with academic institutions on technology development for lubricants, including Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, Imperial College, London, UK, Eindhoven University, NL and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.

The evolving nature of the manufacturing sector and the demands being placed on equipment is one of the reasons we invest so heavily in product development. Shell is the largest branded lubricant supplier in the world and has been serving original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and industries with specialised products, services and technical support for generations. We work with OEMs like Chrysler, BMW, Daimler, Hyundai, Komatsu, ZF, etc. across the auto, truck, construction and agriculture sectors and by working in conjunction with them through the product development cycle we are able to align our product offerings with their equipment specification needs.

We want to ensure our lubricants and greases help keep manufacturing customers one step ahead of the game. This led us to recently develop the new Shell Tellus S2 MX hydraulic oil. It is one of the first to meet the new Bosch Rexroth standard for wear protection in demanding conditions and also delivers longer oil life compared to the previous generation of Shell Tellus S2 hydraulic oils (Shell Tellus S2 M) – both of which can help reduce overall total cost of ownership. The product also offers superior air release and filterability compared to traditional mineral oils, helping improve efficiency and reduce noise. This is particularly important in manufacturing where equipment (and staff) are often required to work in enclosed spaces.

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Source: IEN

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Automotive Lubricants Market in Nigeria and South Africa Receives a Boost

Nigeria and South Africa rely heavily on imported raw materials for automotive lubricants. However, the volatility of oil prices and the devaluating currencies in both countries is set to provide a huge boost to the local production of automotive lubricants. A combined market of US$2.14bn is driven mainly by the demand for engine oils, but there has been a perceptible rise in end-user demand for other lubricants like transmission oil, gear oil and coolants.

The hike in demand for lubricants stems from a rising prominence of the middle class in both countries, which has boosted vehicle sales. Nigeria’s motorisation rate is 8.5% per annum and is tied to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), which has increased by 7% in the past decade. Meanwhile, South Africa is a well- established vehicle manufacturing hub in Africa and this sector is expected to flourish over the next three to seven years, translating to a more expansive market for automotive lubricants.

Analysis of the Automotive Lubricants Market—Nigeria and South Africa is part of the Future of Chemicals & Materials in Infrastructure & Mobility Growth Partnership Service program, which also covers construction chemicals and materials including paints and coatings, industrial adhesives, cement and cement additives , thermal insulation, and lubricants.

For complimentary access to more information on this research, please visit :HERE

The vehicle parc, including old and new vehicle models, presents a myriad of opportunities for automotive lubricant manufacturers. On the one hand, used cars require more frequent lubricant changes, and on the other, newer models require higher-quality lubricants. In Nigeria, about 80% of the vehicles on the road are second hand vehicles that will require more frequent lubricant drains in the long term, contributing to the volume demand of automotive lubricants in Nigeria.

“Improved vehicle technology in newer model vehicles will require fewer lubricant drains,” said Visionary Science Industry Analyst Lynessa Moodley.

“The market is ultimately gravitating towards higher-quality, specialised and synthetic lubricants with an increase in end user awareness on the importance of lubricant drains. This can primarily be attributed to pending government legislation regarding emissions, improved engine technology and original equipment manufacturers’ requirements for fuel efficiency.”

Lubricant manufacturers can stay afloat and even strengthen their position by enhancing awareness and educating users on the importance of frequent lubricant drains, as well as using the appropriate lubricants. This will also stave off the competition from the informal automotive lubricants market as South African and Nigerian end users have a lot of apprehension regarding synthetics and lack understanding of their benefits.

“This should prompt lubricant manufacturers to conduct extensive marketing and awareness campaigns,” said Moodley.

“In addition, fostering interregional ties between Nigerian and South African players could go a long way in creating a collaborative environment that benefits all the stakeholders and, ultimately, drives the market forward.”

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Source: Cape Business News

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Driveline Additives Market Revenue to Reach US $12,255.4 Mn by 2025

The global driveline additives market is projected to register a healthy value CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 6.9% during the forecast period due to various factors, regarding which FMI offers vital insights in detail in its report.

This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire

Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/02/2016 -- Future Market Insights (FMI) delivers key insights on the Global Driveline Additives Market in its upcoming report titled "Driveline Additives Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015-2025". The global driveline additives market is projected to register a healthy value CAGR of 6.9% during the forecast period due to various factors, regarding which FMI offers vital insights in detail in its report.

On the basis of product type, the market has been segmented into transmission fluid additives and gear oil additives. The transmission fluid additives segment accounted for over 56.4% share of the global driveline additives market in 2014, and is expected to register a value CAGR of 7.7% in the global driveline additives market over the forecast period. Furthermore, the gear oil fluid additives segment accounted for 43.6% share of the global driveline additives market in 2014. Transmission fluid additives and gear oil additives comprise of a number of additives such as depressants, dispersants, extreme pressure agents, anti-wear additives, friction modifiers, viscosity index modifiers, pour point lubricants, and foam inhibitors, etc.

You may want to read------>>> TOP LUBRICANT TERMINOLOGIES THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Detergents and dispersants constitute of the largest share in the global driveline additives market and the trend is expected to continue over the forecast period, whereas the viscosity index improvers, and pour point lubricant additives are poised to be the fastest growing additive types over the forecast period.

Request Free Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-700

On the basis of application, the market has been segmented into passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and off-highway vehicles. The passenger car segment accounted for 58.3% share of the global driveline additives market in 2014, followed by commercial vehicles segment at 31.7%. The global driveline additives market is experiencing significant growth, due to its increasing application in the construction, mining, and agriculture industries, wherein theses additives find application in off-highway vehicles.

The off-highway vehicles segment is expected to grow at a healthy rate in the global driveline additives market owing to increasing construction and mining activities in developing regions of the world, particularly in BRIC and ASEAN countries. In the agriculture industry, the lubricants used are often called universal tractor transmission oils (UTTOs) and Super Tractor Oil Universal (STOU). STOU and UTTO oils are formulated for engines as well as wet brakes, and transmissions of a number of tractors in use.

Growth of the global driveline additive market is mainly driven by rising consumer inclination towards enhancing fuel efficiency of vehicles, increasing number of on-road and off-road vehicles, specification changes driven by OEMs, implementation of stringent emission norms worldwide, the improving aftersales services and continuing requirements for extended hardware durability. Other trends driving growth of the driveline additives market include close collaboration between automotive OEMs, lubricant and additive suppliers, stringent environmental regulations, and increasing investments in developing regions.


This report covers trends driving each segment and respective sub-segments and offers analysis and insights of the potential of the global driveline additives market in specific regions. Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) dominated the global driveline additives market with over 31.5% market share, by volume in 2014, and is anticipated to remain dominant by 2025. Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Japan collectively accounted for over 10% of the total driveline additives market share in 2014. Among all the regions, Asia Pacific is anticipated to register the highest CAGR between 2015 and 2025, followed by Latin America owing to the general guidelines for emissions, yet healthy economic expansion and urbanisation.

Key players in the global driveline additives market include BRB International B.V., The Lubrizol Corporation, Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC, Chevron Oronite Company, LLC, Infineum International Limited, Afton Chemical Corporation, BASF SE, and Lubrilic Corporation, etc. Major participants such as The Lubrizol Corporation and Afton Chemical Corporation focus on research and development activities to innovative features in their driveline additives in order to attain a sustainable advantage over the competition. In addition, these key players also focus on expanding their additives portfolio through various acquisitions and mergers with the objective to enhance customer base. In 2014, for example, The Lubrizol Corporation made a number of acquisitions, with a total value of over US$ 1.2 Bn in order to strengthen its product portfolio.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/driveline-additives-market-revenue-to-reach-us-122554-mn-by-2025-747683.htm


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VIVA Opens massive new Lubricant Facility at Pinkenba, Australia

Viva Energy Australia officially opened its new $18 million Pinkenba bulk lubricants terminal, claiming it as the country’s largest such facility with world-leading loading technology.

The terminal has a storage capacity of 3.2 million litres and can manage up to 30 lubricant grades, the company says.

Speaking at the opening of the facility in Brisbane’s north-east, Viva Energy CEO Scott Wyatt said the terminal took 36,000 man hours to complete, created more than 120 local construction jobs and is designed to be scalable and flexible according to customer needs.

"This is an exciting development for Viva Energy as we have the ability to adapt to increases in both the volume and type of lubricant products required by customers," Wyatt says.

"The terminal stores the bulk lubricants in horizontal tanks and each loading gantry is automated – featuring dedicated pumps, piping and loading arms to protect product quality.

"In a world-first, the horizontal tanks are gravity loaded, rather than pumped in from the bottom of the tank, which increases operational efficiencies.

"The tanks also have the fastest loading rate in the Australian market.

"Our bulk lubricants terminal is complemented by a third party warehouse base, which is capable of processing more than 14,000 pallets of packaged lubricants annually."

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ----->>>Oando Completes $210 million partnership deal,now OVH Energy

The Pinkenba facility forms part of its $1 billion investment across its supply, refining and retail businesses nationally.

"With the addition of the bulk lubricants capability, the Pinkenba terminal is strategically placed to service the fuel, bitumen and lubricant needs of commercial and retail customers throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales," Wyatt says.

"As a licensee to the Shell brand we are proud to sell Shell lubricants as they are renowned for technologically advanced products, and for 10 years have been the world’s number one lubricants supplier.

"Our customers benefit directly from Shell’s research and development spend and we look forward to offering them this competitive advantage backed by Viva’s technical support service."

Viva is the exclusive licensee to the Shell brand in Australia and was launched following the purchase of the Shell in Australia downstream business, excluding aviation.

In addition to its 920 plus service station network and its Geelong Refinery in Victoria, Viva Energy operates bulk fuels, bitumen, marine, chemicals and lubricants businesses supported by more than 20 storage terminals across the country.

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TOTAL Unveils The New RUBIA OPTIMA Lubricants Range For Heavy Duty Engines, Meeting API CK-4 And FA-4 Specifications For Cleaner And More Fuel-Efficient Transport

The API CJ-4 service category that was developed nearly a decade ago will be replaced by two new categories, API CK-4 and API FA-4, to meet the new standards regarding greenhouse gas emission limits. Cleaner and more fuel-efficient diesel engines are now mandatory and require new oils. With the RUBIA OPTIMA range, TSUSA partners with its customers to offer technologically advanced lubricants.

This new RUBIA OPTIMA range is the direct result of the TOTAL Group's continued commitment and investment in research and development. Recognized for the advanced performance and technology of its lubricants, The TOTAL Group capitalizes on this innovative approach to ensure its products meet today's demands. Thanks to its complex formulations, the RUBIA OPTIMA range provides better engine protection and an unparalleled level of performance. It will help limit carbon dioxide emissions while improving the engine's fuel consumption and improve oxidation resistance, allowing the longest oil drain intervals authorized by the manufacturers.

Introducing the new RUBIA OPTIMA range which fully meets the new CK-4 and FA-4 specifications:

• RUBIA OPTIMA 1100 15W-40 and RUBIA OPTIMA 1100 FE 10W-30 both meet the CK-4 specification, and the 1100 FE 10-W30 lowers viscosity and offers fuel economy benefits.
• RUBIA OPTIMA 2100 XFE 10W-30, which meets the FA-4 specification, enables extra fuel economy by reducing High Temperature High Shear (HTHS) viscosity. It has limited backward compatibility because of its lower HTHS viscosity. 

"With our Lubricants business in the United States at a consistent growth over the past five years and with projections to maintain the expansion, we will continue to listen to the market's needs and deliver our customers more eco-friendly and fuel-efficient products. Engineered specifically for the American market, our RUBIA OPTIMA line is designed to meet the new regulations and to improve the performance and protection of the heavy-duty engine," said Christophe Doussoux, Senior Vice President of Lubricants at TOTAL Specialties USA, Inc.

YOU MAY WANT TO READ---->>>API Diesel engine Oil Category

The new RUBIA OPTIMA benefits from state-of-the-art "T.I.R. Technology", which refers to:

• Total protection: industry tested, RUBIA products are put through numerous tests (Laboratory, bench and road tests) to achieve results that show excellent performance in oxidation stability and protection against wear, deposits and soot.
• International approvals: RUBIA has a greater number of advanced approvals than most products on the market. This means multi-brand fleets require fewer products to meet crucial requirements of the most advanced engines on the market.
• Reduced costs: RUBIA offers better fleet cost savings with a full suite of TOTAL FUEL ECONOMY engine and transmission oils, and includes TOTAL CHECK, a leading condition monitoring service of used oil analysis.

The TOTAL Group has collaborated closely with key heavy-duty original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to develop the new RUBIA OPTIMA oils with performance that surpass CJ-4 oils with outstanding oxidation control, shear stability, and oil aeration control. These benefits illustrate the RUBIA OPTIMA range's numerous benefits and performances validated by key OEMs:

Outstanding Wear Protection In the official Cummins ISB engine test, RUBIA OPTIMA 2100 XFE 10W-30 formed a protective film between the moving surfaces of the tappet and cam that reduced wear by up to 56%.

Excellent Piston CleanlinessThe Caterpillar C13 test measures piston deposits at high temperature. In the absence of deposits, the engine performs at its optimum efficiency. RUBIA OPTIMA 1100 FE 10W-30 keeps engines up to 70% cleaner than most oils in the market.

Exceptional Oxidation ControlThe Volvo T13 test measures the aging of oil among others by the variation in viscosity. The viscosity increase of RUBIA OPTIMA 1100 15W-40 is 83% lower than the test limits.

The new RUBIA OPTIMA range by the TOTAL Group is designed specifically to meet the needs of today's market.

Find out more about the new RUBIA OPTIMA oils:
http://www.totalspecialties.com/heavy-duty.html 

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ExxonMobil to Become Red Bull Racing's Official Fuel and Lubricant Partner

Red Bull has confirmed it will switch lubricant supplier from Total to ExxonMobil next year.

The team will use Mobil 1 lubricants for its power unit and gearbox. The deal will also see ExxonMobil branding appear on the RB13 plus the drivers’ overalls and helmets.

Engine lubricants have become a more critical element in car performance since the current V6 hybrid turbo regulations were introduced at the beginning of 2014.

“Mobil 1 has been an iconic brand in Formula One for more than 30 years and our new partnership provides us with a unique opportunity to tap into ExxonMobil’s world class expertise,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

“In addition to welcoming ExxonMobil to the Red Bull Racing stable, I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to the technical team at Total, who have made a valuable contribution to our success in Formula One during our partnership.”

Red Bull’s signing is a coup for the team as ExxonMobil has been a long-term supplier of lubricants to McLaren.

ExxonMobil vice-president of marketing Matt Bergeron said the company is “excited about building a relationship with Red Bull’s excellent young drivers who are establishing reputations as competitive racers and who will help showcase our brands to generations of consumers”.

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Petro-Canada releases new CK-4 and FA-4 diesel oils

TORONTO. On the first official day for the American Petroleum Institute’s two new heavy-duty diesel engine oil classifications, Petro-Canada Lubricants has launched a full product line of CK-4 and FA-4 oils. The Duron Next Generation lubes “are the culmination of three years of hard work,” according to Eric Attias, Petro-Canada’s dir. of marketing and R&D, and will completely replace the company’s CJ-4 Duron-E lineup.

The first time API has approved split classifications for new and older engine use, CK-4 and FA-4 are designed to help truck manufacturers meet new fuel efficiency standards and lower CO2 greenhouse gas emissions requirements. While CK-4 oils are backwards compatible with all older diesels, FA-4 is only approved by most manufacturers for new engines, so Petro-Canada has introduced new Duron naming and packaging to clearly identify the two for fleets that may find themselves using different oil classifications as they bring new trucks into service.

The new Duron lineup has three CK-4 products offering different levels of performance, though all provide significant improvements in engine durability, wear protection and extended drain potential over the CJ-4 Duron-E line, according to Barnaby Ngai, category portfolio manager.  DuronHP is available in 15W-40, a viscosity that represents 80% of the North American diesel market, he said.  Moving up in performance, Duron SHP is available in two viscosities, 15W-40 and 10W-30, which adds extreme temperature performance for fleets that require it.  Duron UHP, a fully synthetic oil, tops the CK-4 line with 10W-40, 5W-40, 0W-40 and 0W-30 weights, which provide even higher extreme temperature performance and potential fuel economy benefits, according to Petro-Canada.

The company’s FA-4 line, which comes in distinctive gold jugs to easily differentiate it from the CK-4 products, is called Duron Performance.  Initially it’s available as a 10W-30, with a 5W-30 version following in early 2017.  It represents the highest level of fuel economy benefit when used with new engines, according to Ngai.  Not meant to be backwards compatible with older engines, some engine OEMs will use FA-4 as the fill lubricant for their 2017 engines, while others will approve its use with their new engines but ship them with CK-4 oils.  One – Detroit Diesel – has also approved FA-4 for use with any of its engines produced since 2010, according to Petro-Canada, which believes other engine makers might also extend FA-4 approval to some older engines as they gain experience with the new classification.

To help fleets transition to the new split classifications, Petro-Canada has launched an online “info hub” to outline its CK-4 and FA-4 product differences and applications. It has also relaunched its Duron Challenge. That trial program provides with 30 or more trucks with a drum of the new Duron lubricant and then uses pre-trial and post-trial used oil analysis to demonstrate performance in a fleet’s actual operations.

Formulating HD diesel oils to meet increasingly stringent emissions and efficiency requirements has greatly increased the complexity of testing and qualifying products, according to John Pettingill, a product specialist at Petro-Canada.  In 1990 meeting API’s CF-4 standards only required four test, while CK-4 and FA-4 must pass 13 category tests while also remaining within a specified “chemical box” to remain compatible with diesel aftertreatment systems, he said.

That testing to achieve the CK-4 and FA-4 classifications cost “multiple millions of dollars,” according to Tony Weatherill, global marketing director.  Currently supplying lubricants in 80 countries, Petro-Canada has used that investment as an opportunity to also refresh its global products with the new classification performance characteristics, he said.

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