Nguyen: Yes, and the quick answer is the OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) as well as CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) regulations. What you see is that the majority of vehicles coming off the assembly line within the past 10 years have been overwhelmingly recommending synthetic oil due to the fact that the OEMs are asking for thinner viscosity oils. It started with recommending 5W-20 oils. In the past five or six years, we are seeing more and more applications requiring SAE 0W-20 motor oils. Now we’re starting to see the introduction of 0W-16 and 0W-8 oils. In order to get to those super low viscosities, you need synthetic base stocks. Thus, you see the market is demanding synthetic or Group III and better base oils, and I think that will be the trend for future engine oil specifications because of governmental regulations. OEMs and consumers are also asking for longer drain
intervals and better performance.  

Lubes’n’Greases: What are the technical advantages of synthetics over lubricants made with conventional base stocks?  

Nguyen: Remember, the term “synthetic” is a word used for the general public. The industry officially categorizes synthetic as a Group III or better base oil product. In simple terms, they are defined by three major factors: the amount of sulfur in the oil, the amount of saturates and the viscosity index. In the example of synthetics, the base oil must have less than 0.03% of sulfur contaminant, the molecule must have greater than 90% saturates and it must have a VI (viscosity index) greater than 120, meaning that it will flow at ultra-low temperatures and not thin out at higher temperatures. 

The higher refining process for synthetics generates a higher concentration of similar molecules—a molecule that has less of what we call saturates, meaning less double bond molecules or less ring molecules. So, with synthetic base oil, the molecule has more single bonds, better homogeneity, better viscosity index. That leads to performance improvements in hot and cold operations, better resistance to oil loss due to evaporation and longer oil life.  

Lubes’n’Greases: We know that traditionally synthetic lubricants have been more expensive than conventional lubricants. Is that price gap closing a little bit right now, or is it staying about the same? 

Nguyen: I think the price gap is closing a bit, mostly due to the fact that refiners have gotten better in the way that they’re refining, and they’re able to be more efficient in the way that they’re producing base oils. Even Group II base oils, which make conventional engine oils, have gotten really, really good over the years—nothing that we would’ve seen in conventional oils 20 or 30 years ago. So that refining process efficiency has translated over to Group III synthetic processing also. At the same time, because of the demand, there are more Group III producers out there in the marketplace to supplement or to backfill the need for these base oils. As we get more refiners introducing more synthetics, I think the market will generate the volumes we need to balance out the costs.  At this time, costs of synthetics and conventional oils haven’t reached parity yet, but the performance benefits of synthetics outweigh those of conventional formulations.  

Of course, I would recommend shifting to synthetics. You gain better performance as a whole with better base oil technology. Then, pair that with improved performance from the additive packages, and you get superior protection that premium brands like Pennzoil are able to put into a synthetic formulation. 

Lubes’n’Greases: Is there a greater emphasis being placed on research and development of synthetic products? What work is Pennzoil doing right now on synthetic lubricants? 

Nguyen: Absolutely, and I think it will stay that way because synthetics are the future for lubrication for many products besides just automotive engine oils—for transmission fluids, greases and industrial products.  

For automotive, we at Shell and Pennzoil are continuously striving to make better products for our OEMs and consumers. As the industry pushes for higher performance and thinner oils, we introduced our synthetic Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) base oil that is made with natural gas. We spent over 40 years to develop this base oil, which we use in our premium Pennzoil Platinum and Ultra Platinum products. We have also made huge inroads with additive chemistries to extend the life of catalytic converters and emission systems, helping to lower noxious emissions. By combining this high-quality base oil with our premium additive chemistry technologies, we are able to enable better film strength, better volatility control, improved fuel efficiency and unsurpassed protection for the consumer’s vehicle.  

Even with all those advancements, Pennzoil is continuously researching ways to improve. We are constantly finding ways to extend oil life, increase performance and manage all the new technologies that the vehicle manufacturers are coming out with in their new engines—from turbos to direct injections and more.

Lubes’n’Greases: In which applications are synthetics the most desirable or even necessary? What makes them uniquely suited for those applications? 

Nguyen: Synthetics will continue to play a very big role in automotive engine oils. If you have a vehicle that is less than 10 years old, I recommend synthetic oil. Most synthetics will help keep cars running well, which is important because a vehicle, in most cases, is the second most costly purchase most people will make, second only to their home.  

Right now, we are at a crossroads between ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles and EVs (electric vehicles). Lubricants need to be available for that part of the market. But you can’t forget the middle ground, which is the hybrid vehicle. It seems to be the accepted model that most people are comfortable with right now. Hybrids ask for synthetics because they require a thinner oil. You have a smaller engine but also a battery system, so the oil needs to be able to handle the various conditions created by a hybrid.  

At Pennzoil, we’re working diligently with the OEMs to develop the next engine oil as they transition to more sophisticated ICEs, as well as hybrids and EVs. It’s not a one-size-fits-all lubrication scenario for different types of vehicles, but I think synthetics are the best way to get where we need to be. 

Sean Nguyen began working for Shell as a chemist in December 1990. He left Shell in 1999 to work as a technical sales representative for Thermo Fisher Scientific. He returned to Shell in April 2007 as a technical advisor and chemist. He has held several different titles within the Shell organization since 2007, but he is currently working as a technical scientist and automotive lubricant specialist under the Pennzoil umbrella.

Sydney Moore is managing editor of Lubes’n’Greases magazine. Contact her at Sydney@LubesnGreases.com