The largest Belorusian petrochemical enterprise OJSC “Naftan” is considering an investment program which will allow producing new high-quality products and improve the quality of the existing ones.
The project is under consideration and if approved will take about five years to finish, according to sources close to the refinery. Producer plans to keep its existing capacity of Group I and install additional equipment to increase total base oils production volume.
Naftan is planning to introduce new products, namely group III base oils, such as HVI-2, VHVI-4, VHVI-6, VHVI-8 (the last three items have very similar characteristics with 4 cSt, 6 cSt and 8 cSt).
“Move into quality base oils is long awaited, demand for Group III base oils is growing every year while Europe, Russia and the rest of the world is switching from mineral Group I base oils to semi-synthetic and synthetic base oils” – Denis Varaksin, director for base oils and lubricants trading in Legion Oil & Gas LLC comments.
Group III demand was growing at pace of 3-6% per year from 2016 to 2020 which resulted in heavy deficit of VHVI-4, VHVI-6 and VHVI-8 base oils in the market in the second half of 2020 and beginning of 2021. Demand growth may increase further more countries implement stricter emissions laws in order to reach fuel efficiency and lubricant durability.
Bright stock and SN500 base oils quality improves
Naftan is also planning to improve the quality of group I base oils SN-500 and BS-140 (which is an almost exact equivalent of BS-150 base oils or bright stock). The new BS-140 is going to have better color (3,0) and kinematic viscosity at 100 °C (29-30) characteristics vs todays BS-130 that refinery is selling for export with colour of 4,5-5,0. SN 500 base oils colour and viscosity index will also improve according to preliminary plans.
New group III grades are remarkable for their color, viscosity index, kinematic viscosity at 100 °C and sulfur content characteristics. All the products are brought into compliance with European specifications. For more details, please see the specification tables below.
Naftan is the first Belarusian petrochemical company which produces various types of fuels, lube oils and bitumens, aromatic hydrocarbons and petrochemicals and has been on the market for more than half a century. Till now Novopolotsk refinery has processed more than 700 million tons of crude oil with over 60 % of products being exported.
Naftan operates 200 000 tons of base oils per year, it mostly export SN 150, HC4 (equivalent of group II 150N base oil), SN500 and BS130 (heavy grade with viscosity @100c 25-28 cSt).
Legion Oil & Gas LLC is regularly purchasing Naftan base oils and will be happy to offer products with quality guarantee, world-wide delivery and flexible payment terms. If you are interested in any of these products, please contact us via our website or email: info@legionoilandgas.com
