Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: turbokick
1. You even help me then, I also know that Visom replaced only group 4 basestocks, then I think it's better even not to mention some group 5 in the whole picture
(if it's expensive for you to put some PAO in your products, how can we expect some esters?)
That's quite the unfounded extrapolation. Because a company is willing to substitute some of their PAO base for their proprietary Group III+ base oil in certain applications, that automatically means they are cheapening the product on the whole, removing anything expensive from the mix like Esters or AN's?
Quote:
2. Mobil 1 only stated this one (being Visom more easy and cheep to achieve), for sure this is the main reason for Visom's introduccion and not the performance of their oils itself.
3. Here you contradict yourself, read your post.
No.
VISOM was introduced as a stop-gap. XOM had (has?) intentions on changing out some of their PAO bases for GTL when it was readily available in their supply chain. GTL was supposed to be significantly less expensive to produce, have extremely low volatility and match PAO in performance.
The paper you are thinking of with reference to Mobil's implementation of VISOM came out in 2003. Here is a quote from it:
Originally Posted By: ExxonMobil
"Wax is wax, and isomerized wax is essentially the same stuff," Cox said. "It doesn't matter where it comes from." Made from waxy feedstocks and using the same catalyst systems as GTL will use, Visom will provide valuable experience in formulating with GTL-type base stocks, prior to their arrival later in the decade, he said.
Link:
http://www.lubereport.com/e_article000130105.cfm
XOM was expected to have GTL production ramped up by 2010. However in 2007, they abandoned the Qatar GTL project that they were working on. One can only assume that this has meant continued reliance on using VISOM and PAO to fulfill their base stock needs.
XOM's VISOM information page with information on the two VISOM bases them make, 4 and 6:
http://www.exxonmobil.com/UK-English/Basestocks/PDS/GLXXENBSKEMVisom.aspx
ExxonMobil is still working on actually making their own GTL:
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/...nar-1616274.htm
Keep in mind, XOM is the world's largest producer of PAO, AN's and Ester base stocks. They have a vested interest in continuing to produce and use those products. However, leveraging their VISOM product, they can get away with using less PAO in many of their lubricants while having a final product that performs the same.
Spot on.