Development in Oil Refining Technology. Part 2 - Lubricating Oils, Product Specifications, Refining Processes.

The oil industry today is characterized by the trends in the qualities of conventional crudes (lower API-density, higher sulphur content, increase in the proportion of vacuum residue), by an opposite shift in demand towards the lighter end of the barrel and by the overcapacity of the refineries. Improvements and modifications to the processing routes are required to improve the economics and to bring about a more demand orientated supply structure. At the 11th World Petroleum Congress the developments in refinery technology were therefore the subject of three panel discussions, three review papers, four round table discussions and a special paper. One of the topics included was the further development of upgrading technology for heavy feedstocks. This second part of an article series which is concerned with lube oils, product specification and plant operation - covers not only the discussions in London but also the more recent general literature.