| Abstract: | 1 Introduction With the automotive industry embarking on the de velopment route toward high speed, energy conservation, low fuel consumption, low emissions and extended oil condemning limits in the 1990s, better quality lubricant products are needed. The previous approach for im proving the performance of lubricant products through adjustment of additive composition can no more meet the demand. Higher requirements for the quality of lube base stocks are raised. These requirements are: (1) higher oxidation stability; (2) better viscosity tem perature performance; (3) better low temperature flow property; and (4) excellent shearing stability and anti wear property. In the meantime, the development of industrial technology and stricter environmental and safety requirements have raised their demand for high quality industrial lubricating oils. The quality of mineral lubricating oils made by traditional means of lube tech nology has been reaching its limits without room for fur ther improvement. In addition the crude oil resources that are suitable for making lube oils are depleting. The lube oil production is forced to opt for the inferior heavy crude, posing a difficult dilemma for the traditional petroleum processing industry. |
