Where Would GTL Base Oil Products be Useful?
The lubricant base stock created in the gas to oil conversion is called an ISO paraffin. ISO paraffins appear to be a viable alternative for use as a base oil for lubricants that are currently blended from API Group III and IV base stocks. The dominant demand for Group III and IV base stocks is from the automotive manufacturers. Lubricant performance parameters are being stressed by the increasing demands for reduced emissions and increased energy efficiency placed upon internal combustion engine designers. High-quality base stocks are integral to the formulation of lubricants that meet the new demands. ISO paraffins seem to provide the type of performance required for internal combustion engine operating conditions, including good viscosity properties (viscometrics), oxidation resistance and low-temperature cold-cranking conditions. Development of these stocks into useful long-term lubricants could be employed as an alternative to crude oil-derived products. Industrial machinery often
