Heavy Naphthenic Oils – Using Technology For Today and Tomorrow

Petroleum refining technology has improved over the past few decades leading to higher quality mineral oils.  Catalytic severe hydroprocessing uses metal catalysts, high pressure hydrogen and elevated temperatures to chemically react with and convert unwanted molecules.  This leads to many benefits including (1) higher product quality, (2) more stable products, (3) higher yields, (4) lower costs and (5) oils which meet ever stringent governmental health, safety and environmental laws and regulations.  These benefits make severe hydroprocessing the technology of choice for new refineries as the older, early 20^thcentury refineries are closed.  Heavy naphthenic process oils use severe hydroprocessing while the other alternatives to Distillate Aromatic Extract (DAE) all rely on the older solvent refining processes. 

Both refining and tire manufacturing are global endeavors.  The EU directives which have limited the amounts of polyaromatic compounds in tires and which mandate new labeling requirements have affected the global markets.  Studies have suggested that the viscoelastic/dynamic properties of rubber and tire formulations are minimally affected by the choice of the Aromatic Replacement Oil.  The formulations can be optimized around the oil as well as the type/concentration of the polymers and fillers which have a broader impact on the rubber properties than the oil.  It is important that the process oil be compliant with all regulations, be available long-term on a global scale and provide acceptable end-use properties.  We will provide data on model rubber formulations using commercially available process oils as well as discuss the supply/demand dynamics of process oils.