Market discussions on diesel anti-wear agents

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This is my first time posting on this forum, and I hope everyone can give me some support. Regarding the research on diesel anti-wear agents as well as market aspects, though I am not very knowledgeable, I would like to share my thoughts with everyone here. After reviewing many relevant forums on the technical analysis of diesel anti-wear agents as well as their production processes, I have summarized the following points: 1. There is a significant difference between the acid-type and ester-type production processes currently used in China. But one thing they have in common is that their primary raw material is the same; 14 years ago, some manufacturers were able to produce qualified products by using tall oil fatty acids, but after 14 years, this method became subject to decisive limitations imposed by the market. The price of tall oil fatty acids has become unacceptably high. Therefore, many companies look for manufacturers of oleic acid and related raw materials in China. At present, there are also only a few companies in China capable of producing qualified raw materials for diesel anti-wear agents. And the price difference is quite large. This results in significant differences among manufacturers of anti-wear agents in terms of their equipment. Normal oleic acid can also address the issues of cloud point and freezing point, but the problem with saturated fatty acids is difficult to solve. As a result, some companies are able to produce anti-wear agents, but the cost is very high. Some have low costs, but the products work. As a result, the entire anti-wear agent market became chaotic. A good relationship does not guarantee quality, and high prices are acceptable even when the relationship isn’t good – this is what drives this industry downhill. Fierce competition is also a major drawback of this industry. 2. In China, it is possible to address issues related to the cloud point and freezing point of anti-wear agents, and these are not tasks that require high levels of technical expertise; many manufacturers are now able to handle them on their own. The key issue at present lies with saturated fatty acids, and resolving this problem will bring about a major transformation in the entire anti-wear agent market. This is also a problem for manufacturers of anti-wear agents: if they try to reduce the content of saturated acids, costs will undoubtedly increase. If they purchase raw materials with low levels of such acids, this might be a good option for smaller manufacturers, but for large producers, it represents a technical drawback. The best way to solve this problem now is to turn the oleic acid plant into a facility that produces products for use as anti-wear agents; only by cooperating with each other can a lasting solution be found. 3. As for the market for anti-wear agents, at present, the several major domestic suppliers of such agents are all facing difficulties. The lowest price seen this year was recorded at CNPC’s North China oil field, where the winning bid price was 9,150 per unit. This price is difficult for many manufacturers to meet. I don’t know what the quality of the products at this price point is like. Later, no department responsible for cable management followed up on this matter. Judging from the recent bid prices, the overall market level remains at a relatively low level. In the long run, this undoubtedly pushes anti-wear agents in the direction of becoming waste oil. At present, Sinopec seems to be paying little attention to ester-based anti-wear agents; it’s not clear why. Moreover, Sinopec has not held public tenders for acid-type anti-wear agents in the past two years, which also prevents newer anti-wear agent manufacturers from having the opportunity to expand their market share. I don’t know how much longer this situation can last. In CNPC’s current situation, where public bidding is used, personal relationships play a much greater role than the quality of the goods themselves. It’s also frustrating.