Hydrocracking and ISODEWAXING are refining processes that use catalyst and hydrogen at high pressure to make high-quality lubricant base oils. Hydrocracking is used to improve VI (Viscosity Index) and remove impurities, while ISODEWAXING converts wax molecules into high quality lubricant components.
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Groups I, II, and III are broad categories of base stocks developed by the American Petroleum Institute for the purpose of creating guidelines for licensing engine oils. Typically, solvent-refined base oils fall into Group I, while hydroprocessed base stocks fall into Group II. Unconventional Base Oils (UCBOs) or Very-High VI stocks are normally categorized as Group III.

Group II+, though not an official API designation is a term used increasingly to describe Group II stocks of higher VI (110-119) and lower volatility than typical group II stocks.

Group I oils contain high levels of sulfur and aromatics, which are compounds that can diminish performance. Group II & III oils have lower levels of these impurities, which result in enhanced oxidation performance for fully-formulated lubricants. Thanks to Chevron’s proprietary ISODEWAXING technology, Chevron’s Group II and III base oils have a unique low-wax composition, which delivers better low-temperature performance compared to many other base oils.

Due to their high level of purity, Chevron Group II & III base oils provide additional benefits in crankcase applications. For example, in heavy-duty engines, motor oils made with Chevron base oils have demonstrated a soot dispersancy markedly higher than those made with competing base oils. They have also demonstrated potential for greater fuel economy in passenger car engine oils.
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Because all-hydroprocessed Group II & III stocks are manufactured with no solvent refining steps, when it comes to purity, they far surpass Group II or III base oils made in "hybrid" plants that maintain some solvent processing. In fact, they contain the lowest levels of impurities currently available in mineral-based oils, which, in turn, gives them a significant performance advantage.
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Chevron base oils contain lower levels of reactive compounds compared to solvent-refined Group I and, in some cases, other Group II base oils. These "impurities," which include aromatics and sulfur compounds, are much more susceptible to oxidative attack. Once these compounds begin to oxidize, a complex chain of reactions occurs that ultimately causes both the base oil and the additive to degrade. The virtual absence of these "bad actors" means Chevron base oils deliver exceptional resistance to oxidation.
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Chevron base oils provide manufacturers many formulating options since they are compatible with a wide array of additives and additive systems. To fully leverage the superior properties of Chevron base oils and gain the highest performance levels available, the additive system should be optimized for all products. In some cases, the higher purity and enhanced oxidation resistance of Chevron base oils may allow lower treat rates of specific additives in fully-formulated oils. For example, many products can use lower levels of oxidation inhibitors while maintaining or improving oxidation resistance. Likewise, other products can achieve better dispersancy of ultra-fine particles while using somewhat less dispersant. In all cases, it is important to test the fully-formulated lubricant to assure that the desired level of product performance is achieved.
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Compared with solvent dewaxed base oils, Chevron base oils contain less residual paraffin wax. Under low-shear conditions, this small level of paraffin wax in the presence of a pour point depressant is not as prone to solidification.
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While they do have slightly lower solvency than Group I base oils, Chevron Group II base oils exhibit a level of solvency compatible with the vast majority of additive components and systems. Furthermore, Chevron base oils have higher solvency than most synthetics.

When properly formulated, lubricants made with Chevron base oils have proper seal swell characteristics. In a few applications, especially transmission fluids, it may be necessary to add small amounts of a synthetic seal swell agent to achieve the proper performance.
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In many cases, Chevron base oils can provide significant benefits when formulating next-generation products. For example, the better oxidation stability of Chevron base oils plays a pivotal role for many formulators, helping them to pass stringent tests such as the Mack T-8E - that part of the API CH-4 specification for HDMO. Formulators can also take advantage of the low volatility of Chevron Neutral Oil, 5R and UCBOs to meet ILSAC GF-3 volatility requirements for PCMO. For next-generation automatic transmission fluids, the low-temperature flow advantages of Chevron base oils will prove beneficial in meeting more stringent Brookfield viscosity specifications.
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The resistance of an oil to engine cranking at low temperatures (which is measured as the viscosity in the Cold Cranking Simulator (CCS) test [ASTM D 5293]) is controlled largely by the additives in the oil and the VI of the base oil. At low temperatures, high-VI Chevron UCBOs are less viscous than conventional base oils which translates into less resistance to engine cranking.
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Viscosity Index (VI) measures the resistance of an oil to viscosity change as temperature changes. The higher the VI, the more stable the viscosity over a wide temperature range. In other words, the higher the VI, the less an oil will thicken as it gets cold and the less it will thin out at higher temperatures—providing better lubricant performance at both temperature extremes. Chevron UCBOs have very high VIs.
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A recent ruling from a respected advertising self-regulatory body decided a case on the use of the term synthetic. It found that synthetic base stock are not limited PAOs. The decision said that the key requirement for calling a base stock synthetic is that it be the result of conversion or processing of one complex mixture. Chevron UCBOs clearly meet the test. With UCBOs priced well below the cost of current synthetic base oils, this ruling translates to savings the can boost your bottom line without sacrificing the quality of your finished product.
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Yes. Chevron base oils have low toxicity as measured by eye and skin irritation, inhalation, and oral and dermal toxicity tests. They are neither mutagenic or carcinogenic, as indicated by their performance in the modified Ames Test and IP346 polycyclic aromatic test. In fact, these base oils are so pure, they meet the requirements of FDA-approved mineral oils (21CFR 178.3620(c)). This means that Chevron base oils can be used in or used to manufacture a variety of non-food articles intended for incidental contact with food.
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All Chevron base oils offer superior product performance, resulting in greater oxidation and thermal stability, soot dispersancy in HDMO, and low temperature performance. In addition to these benefits, Chevron UCBOs also have high VI and low volatility.

ChevronT base oils can be formulated with a wide variety of additives either to achieve the latest industry specifications or simply to produce premium performance lubricants.

Chevron base oils can help to meet challenging future lubricant specifications cost-effectively, whereas Group I oils often cannot. Chevron UCBOs are especially valuable where they can replace traditional synthetic base oils to achieve synthetic performance.
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