Castrol EDGE Bio-Synthetic

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Link from Lube Report

Quote:
The product is 25 percent sugar cane oil and offers the same level of performance as other Castrol Edge products, Ame Cameron, head of U.S. brands and communications for Castrol, told a reporter. She did not mention what other types of conventional base stocks are formulated into the product...

The new biobased oils meet the API SN and ILSAC GF-5 specifications, Cameron confirmed, and will be offered in 5W-30, 0W-20 and 5W-20 viscosity grades. “5W-30 is the largest OEM spec on the market, so it makes the most sense to appeal to the people with that viscosity grade.”

In addition to having a Certified Biobased label from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Castrol aims to have the engine oil qualified as carbon neutral, offsetting the carbon dioxide footprint from the production, packaging, distribution and storage process through parent company BP’s Target Neutral program.


It looks like Castrol is the first to step into the Bio-Synthetic world with a market general product. I've been expecting this for about 2 years, as there are a couple of base oil providers that are creating new bio-based products that have achieved success by proving they can be used as blend stocks.

Based on the Sugar Cane comment, I would bet that they are using NovaSpec base oils: Novvi Base Oils
There is also a company that makes a new base oil called estolides: Biosynthetic Base Oil

If this gains traction in the marketplace, I believe that biosynthetics will be the next wave in engine oil development - there are performance benefits to using 25% bio-content in your engine oils and it also shows a commitment sustainability in lubricants. Just imagine Conventional/High Mileage/Synthetic/Biosynthetic as the 4 tiers of engine oil.
The future is now.
 
I always kind of question how "green" products like this are. How much wildlife habitat was destroyed to farm the sugar cane that was used? How much fertilizer was used that ran off into some river or bay? If this was made from some kind of algae, I would be less skeptical.
 
Originally Posted By: czbrian
I always kind of question how "green" products like this are. How much wildlife habitat was destroyed to farm the sugar cane that was used? How much fertilizer was used that ran off into some river or bay? If this was made from some kind of algae, I would be less skeptical.


Most likely it's made from sugar production waste.
 
+1

I'm already starting to feel sorry for the dead dinosaurs, leave alone the other uses of the land that's being farmed ...

OTOH, I feel good about the jobs it creates in other industries.

My only question is will the squirrels and rats want to eat the jugs and rink the oil like they do new car wiring, pre-starting the recycling process ...
 
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
How is this different from a vegetable oil ester?


I questioned that myself when I read "it looks like Castrol is the first to step into BIO..."
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Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Kamele0N
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
How is this different from a vegetable oil ester?


I questioned that myself when I read "it looks like Castrol is the first to step into BIO..."
smile.gif



The molecular structure of the hydrocarbon chain in the Novvi base oil is much more similar to Group III than it is an ester. With the Estolides, they start out as tryglycerides (vegetable esters) and then are broken apart and reformed in to a single "estolide" - this makes them more similar to PAO but derrived from bio-sources (hence the term "biosynthetic")

Here's a link on Estolides
 
Originally Posted By: From the Article
“Right now our focus is to launch in the U.S. in 2017, but we are working on more of a global launch in the future,” said Cameron. In regards to price, she added that the product will be line-priced similar to Castrol’s Edge Extended Performance premium engine oil.
 
I am interested in using it. As long as it is Dexos 1 approved and I see that it can hold up in some UOAs first.
 
Why are not the base oil(s) considered GRP III? I haven't seen a spec sheet only SDS.


I just found it. Novaspec 750 exceeds grp III requirements. But as its a blend of branched paraffin and a trimer possibly API/SAE would pooh pooh a grp iv categorization?

I just don't like seeing this recent rash of synthetics classed as group III product - It screws up my long running, and apparently futile, "group III is not synthetic" argument
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Originally Posted By: czbrian
I always kind of question how "green" products like this are. How much wildlife habitat was destroyed to farm the sugar cane that was used? How much fertilizer was used that ran off into some river or bay? If this was made from some kind of algae, I would be less skeptical.


Byproduct of sugar cane processing - despite the fact sugar cane is taxed to protect the domestic sugar beet industry and the corn processors.

Corn and soy are much more destructive to the environment, they need more synthetic fertilizers and pesticides despite the use of insect-proof & "Roundup Ready" traits. (don't tell that to farmers in the Midwest).
 
This will be expensive, and will go nowhere.

It will be just like the green-bottled Valvoline...which is also gone.
 
In 1906, Wakefield markets its first lubricant, Castrol named after the main ingredient, Castor oil.
 
Good catch QP...

"Pioneering with plants to push the boundaries of performance"

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You've got to love the marketing brain that came up with that one!
I hope it does well.

I recommend watching the videos on the first link.
 
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