The Sequence IVB wear test was accepted on May 10 despite lingering concerns about its pass-fail criteria, and the Sequence VIE base oil interchange and viscosity grade read-across test matrix is near completion. The Sequence VIE is also required to replace the Sequence VID fuel economy test so the industry can eliminate provisional licensing in place for ILSAC GF-5, API SN and SN Plus-Resource Conserving.

Testing has also been completed for the Sequence VIF, which is required to measure the fuel economy index of SAE 0W-16 engine oils; the Sequence VH test for protection from engine sludge and varnish, which will replace the Sequence VG test; and the new Sequence X chain wear test.

Avista Replaces Rerefinery

German rerefinerAvista Oiland United Kingdom-based used oil collectorSlicker Recycling entered into a partnership to build a used oil rerefinery in Kalundborg, Denmark. Construction of the rerefinery, which will produce API Group I base oils, is expected to be finalized by the end of 2019.

Slicker, a subsidiary of Greenbottle Ltd., recently acquired Avista Oil Services UK. The used oil collection networks of Avista Oil and Green­bottles subsidiaries will supply feedstock from different European markets, the companies said. The base oil production capacity of the plant wont be set until engineering is completed.

The site in Kalundborg has an existing Avista Oil rerefinery with capacity to make 42,000 metric tons per year of Group I oils. The plant ceased production in July 2017 following a fire, and the new rerefinery will replace it.

PQIA Issues Consumer Alert

The Petroleum Quality Institute of America issued consumer alerts on two motor oil brands-Mileage 365 and Q Motor Oil-after testing of five samples indicated the products could cause harm to virtually any car or truck currently on the road.

The organization issued its consumer alert for Mileage 365 motor oils labeled as 5-30, 10-30 and 10-40, and Q Motor Oil products labeled 5-30 and 10-30. PQIA found the Mileage 365 brand on shelves of convenience stores in Lima and Cleveland in Ohio; and the Q Motor Oil brand in Lima and in Sparta, Kentucky.

PQIA found the products lacked any meaningful level of additives to protect engines from wear, sludge or corrosion. Its testing also revealed that the levels of silicon, copper and iron indicate they may contain used oil and abrasive material.

With both brands, PQIA noted that the label on the bottle doesnt show the name or address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor. The labels also lack any API Service Category or other performance specification, while the viscosity range listed on the back label is not consistent with any multi-viscosity motor oil defined by SAE J300.

ACEA Works on Category Upgrades

TheEuropean Auto­mobile Manufacturers Associationis working to complete an upgrade of its ACEA automotive engine oil standards by the end of this year, with new and replacement tests, additional light-duty categories and the potential elimination of older categories.

Among the new tests are the Sequence IVB wear test developed for ILSAC GF-6 in North America, the Ford low-speed pre-ignition test for turbocharged engines, the Toyota TCC torque test and the Ford chain wear test. ACEA is also weighing whether to include tests developed by the International Lubricant Standardization and Advisory Committee or the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization to measure low- and ultra-low-viscosity engine oil contribution to fuel economy.

On the heavy-duty oils side, ACEA is planning more subcategories for its set of oil sequences, such as E8 and E11, which will replace E6 plus and E9 plus, respectively. It also aims to form a new F-category for heavy-duty diesel engine oils that offer fuel benefits through lower high-temperature high-shear viscosities between 3.2 and 2.9 centipoise, starting with F8 and F11 as replacements for the E8 plus and E11 plus subcategories.

The release of the F8 and F11 categories and the E8 and E11 subcategories depends on the finalization of low soot wear tests. If the tests are ready by the end of this year or in early 2019, E8/E11 and F8/F11 will be released simultaneously. If not, ACEA will only release E8/E11 by years end.

SK Capital Acquires SI Group

Private investment firmSK Capital Partnersagreed to acquire Schenectady, New York-basedSI Group, a global developer and manufacturer of performance additives and intermediates, for an undisclosed amount.

SK Capital said it will use the acquisition to create a business that supplies additives for the lubricants industry. At the close of the transaction-expected in the second half of 2018-SK Capital intends to combine SI Group with its existing additive subsidiary, Addivant.

ASTM Creates New Standard

ASTM Internationals Committee D02 on petroleum products, liquid fuels and lubricants is rolling out a new test method, ASTM D8185, which will outline techniques for researchers to measure the viscosity of in-service oils.

ASTM International member Norm Kanar, marketing and sales manager at Savant Labs, noted that the new standard contains practical and relevant information on how to measure in-service lubricant viscosity and provides workers with basic principles of each measurement approach and how to conduct them.

Relief for Lead in Alloys

The European Union on May 18 extended exemptions from the Restriction of Hazardous Substances regulation for lead in steel, aluminum and copper alloys used in the manufacturing of electrical and electronic products through at least July 2021.

The decision capped a decade-long debate about RoHS. A directive of the European Parliament granted temporary exemptions to permit the use of lead at levels up to 0.35 percent by weight in steel, 0.4 percent in aluminum and 4 percent in copper alloys in 2006. Lead reduces friction between machine tools and parts, allowing faster production of parts and lower energy consumption.

These regulations also had implications for supplies of European alloys to the United States, operations in American machine shops and global exports of component parts to the EU.

Briefly Noted

Valvoline Inc. signed an agreement to acquire Chilliwack, British Columbia-based Great Canadian Oil Change, which franchises 73 quick lube stores in five Canadian provinces.

Tianjin, China-based Beiersdorf Petroleum and Chemical Corp. is building a second blending facility in the Luojiang district of Sichuan province. The new facility will have two factories with combined capacity to make 300,000 metric tons of lubricants per year, with the first factory slated to start operating in May 2019.

Singapore-based Trafigura Group purchased most of Pampa Energias downstream assets in Argentina, including a lubricants manufacturing plant in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires, where Pampa Energia manufactures Lubrax branded lubricants under license fromBrazils state-owned oil company Petrobras.

Indonesias state-ownedPertamina Lubricants set up a base oil hub in Port Kabil, Batam Island, which will export API Group I base stocks from its 449,000-metric-tons-per-year facility in Cilacap to countries in Asia-Pacific.

Qalaa Holdings announced a joint venture between its subsidiary Taqa Arabia and BP Castrol called Castrol Egypt Oil. Taqa owns 49 percent of the j.v., which will manufacture and distribute Castrol engine oils in Egypt.

Fuchs South Africa inaugurated its Isando, Gauteng, South Africa, grease plant expansion in May. The facility will be able to produce 30 different types of grease, though production capacity numbers were not disclosed.

Taunton, Massachusetts-based Dennis K. Burke Inc. became a Phillips 66/Kendall Lubricants distributor for the Northeastern United States.

Tri-iso Tryline LLC now distributes Emery Oleochemicals Dehylub ester base stocks and additives in the United States.

Chinese companies China Shenhua and Shanghai Naco Synthetics opened a joint venture research center to develop coal-to-liquids and gas-to-liquids lubricants technology. Shenhuas 4 million metric-tons-per-year CTL facility will supply the samples for the research center.

Total recently completed an upgrade of its 45,000-metric-ton-per-year lubricant blending plant in Durban, South Africa, including construction of a laboratory, part of a plan to bolster its business locally and in neighboring countries.

Faces in the News

Regina Harmwas promoted to president ofAfton Chemical Corp.She has spent 11 years with the company and served as senior vice president and chief operating officer prior to her promotion. She replacesRobert Shama, who was appointed vice president of strategic original equipment manufacturers.

Greg CroceofChevron Products Co.was named president of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers for the year 2018-2019 at its annual meeting in Minneapolis. Croce is joined by Vice PresidentMichael DuncanofDaubert Chemical Co., SecretaryPaul HetheringtonofPetro-Canada Lubricantsand TreasurerKen HopeofChevron Phillips Chemical Co.

Pilot Chemical Co. named Mike Clark chief operating officer. He most recently served as vice president, organics, at Sasol Performance Chemicals in Houston.

Chevron Lubricants Lankas CEO and managing director Kishu Gomes resigned from his role in late May. Rochna Kaul, general manager of the companys Asia and Pakistan region, is acting CEO and managing director.