China’s first metallocene PAO (poly-alpha-olefin) project has commenced construction, filling a gap in the market

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China’s first metallocene PAO (poly-alpha-olefin) project began construction, filling a gap in the market. Author/Source: Date: 11-15-2017. Clicks: 7. On November 10, 2017, Lu’an Group’s metallocene PAO (mPAO) pilot plant officially started construction. The plant is designed with an annual production capacity of 3,000 tons. It utilizes a metallocene catalytic process developed jointly by Lu’an Group and the Shanghai Institute of Advanced Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, taking advantage of Lu’an’s resources in coal-based α-olefins as well as its expertise in olefin separation and purification to produce high-quality, low-viscosity mPAO products. The project construction period is 10 months. Luan Group is the first company in China to produce III+ hydrogenated base oils and Class IV high-viscosity lubricant base oils (PAO) using coal as a raw material through the F-T synthesis indirect liquefaction process. PAO base oil is a synthetic oil produced by the polymerization of α-olefins (C8-C12) in the presence of a catalyst, followed by hydrogenation saturation. It features a high viscosity index, low pour point, good oxidation stability, a high flash point, and low volatility. The production of metallocene PAO can generally use α-olefins ranging from C8 to C12 or from C8 to C14, which means that there is an abundance of raw materials available for production. Metallocene PAO has a more orderly side-chain structure, resulting in lower evaporation losses compared to conventional PAO, a higher viscosity index, and a lower pour point. Research and development on the synthesis of mPAO started early abroad, and major companies around the world such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, Idemitsu Kosan, Covestro, and BP all hold their own patents. China has long been lagging behind in PAO synthesis domestically; it was only in recent years that companies such as Shanghai Nake and Fuke Shi managed to develop PAO synthesis technologies with independent intellectual property rights and bring related products to market. However, there is very little research and reporting on the development of mPAO. The implementation of the Lu’an mPAO demonstration unit will fill the gap in China’s mPAO market. http://img.yf116.cn/image/img/20171115/165146066491.jpg At present, China still lags far behind foreign countries in the research and development as well as production of high-quality PAO base oils. Due to the lack of stable, high-performance synthetic lubricant base oils, China’s high-end lubricant products are largely dependent on expensive imported products, which severely restricts the development of the domestic lubricant industry. Currently, Chevron, INEOS, and domestic Chinese companies are all preparing to expand or build new PAO production capacity. Competition among PAO producers is set to change significantly in the coming years, which in turn will drive an increase in demand for the raw material alpha-olefins.