Environmental, resource conservation, and economic aspects of used oil recycling
In order to provide current and updated information, the case for burning used automotive lubricating oil versus re-refining it has been reevaluated based upon the 1980 American economy and energy conservation posture. In these comparisons, the environment is considered within four scenarios ranging from unrestricted burning of used oil without government constraints to complete prohibition of burning thereby funneling all used automotive lube oils to re-refining. Two other areas have been reevaluated in the context of burning versus re-refining of automotive lube oils in the US. These are the material and energy advantages to be realized in terms of resource conservation through either burning or re-refining and an estimation of the economics and profit potential currently available in the disposition of used lube oil. It was found that environmental concerns as presently regulated do not alone provide a persuasive case for re-refining over burning of used automotive lubricating oil. However, in view of the increased use of paraffinic crude oil for the manufacture of automotive lubricating oil, production costs will rise and product yields will be lower. In this context, this study shows that the energy required to produce. As a produce a gallon of lube oil from paraffinic crude oil is greater than that to produce a gallon of lube oil from used lubricating oil. As a result, the re-refining of collectible used automotive lube oil could conserve 43 to 76 trillion Btu's per year, equivalent to 7 to 12 million barrels of imported crude oil worth between a quarter and a half billion dollars. Additionally, this study indicates that new technology such as solvent/distillation re-refining would provide a 26 percent after-tax return on investment based upon 1980 markets and costs.
- Research Organization:
- Department of Energy, Bartlesville, OK (USA). Bartlesville Energy Technology Center
- OSTI ID:
- 6555616
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/BETC/RI-80/11
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
LUBRICATING OILS
COMBUSTION
RECYCLING
WASTE OILS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
LUBRICANTS
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
020800* - Petroleum- Waste Management
294002 - Energy Planning & Policy- Petroleum