Lube facility makes high-quality lube oil from low-quality feed

Journal Article · Mon May 19 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5516418

Farrell, T R; Zakarian, J A

A new lube-oil complex that makes premium lubes from crude oils that are deficient in high-viscosity-index (VI) components was started up at Chevron's Richmond, Calif., refinery in late 1984. The project features a large hydrocracking complex with a design production capacity of 9,000 b/d. Waxy hydrocracked distillates are catalytically dewaxed for the first time ever, producing high-quality lubes from feedstocks which are uneconomical for lubes by conventional processing. Design features of the complex enable Chevron to achieve the upgrade with low operating costs. The complex is based on Chevron technology developed during the past 10 years. Historically, Chevron has been a large buyer of high-VI lube base oils. Purchases grew to as much as 6,000 b/cd after the shutdown of an aging Duosol plant in 1981. That shutdown left the Unocal refinery in Rodeo, Calif., as the only high-VI lube plant on the U.S. West Coast. West Coast demand has been met through large movements of base oils from the Gulf Coast and foreign purchases. Chevron conceived the Richmond lube oil project (RLOP) in 1978 to eliminate its dependence on other base-oil suppliers. The major objective of RLOP was to produce premium-quality lubes from readily available crudes used for prime fuels productions.

• Research Organization: Chevron Research Co., San Francisco, CA
• OSTI ID: 5516418
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 84:20; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020400* -- Petroleum-- Processing
CALIFORNIA
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COST
CRACKING
DECOMPOSITION
DEWAXING
DISTILLATES
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION IX
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCRACKING
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LUBRICANTS
LUBRICATING OILS
NORTH AMERICA
OILS
OPERATING COST
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DISTILLATES
PETROLEUM FRACTIONS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
PYROLYSIS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SYNTHESIS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA