Lubricant additives: Emissions
How re-refined oil cuts a lubricant's carbon footprint
How re-refined oil cuts a lubricant's carbon footprint What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies. Emission intensity 2.50 t CO2e per t range about 1.5-4 · indicative: diluent base oil about 0.5-1 t CO2e/t, synthetic components about 3-5 t Global emissions per year 10.5 Mt CO2e per year 2022 · 4.2 Mt x 2.5 t CO2e/t (indicative)Per t of additive (as sold, including diluent oil), cradle-to-gate. Intensity: indicative. Global total: indicative; Kline volume.
Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
Feedstock 60% Production / process 35% Movement 5%Footprint by lifecycle phase
| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feedstock | about 1.5 t (indicative) | 60% | PIB, olefin copolymers, base oil, metals | Share indicative. | indicative |
| Production / process | about 0.9 t (indicative) | 35% | reaction heat, stripping, blending | Share indicative. | indicative |
| Movement | about 0.1 t (indicative) | 5% | ISO-tank and tanker freight | Share indicative. | indicative |
| Use | net effect on vehicle fuel use | – | friction modifiers and low-viscosity oils cut fuel use; oil consumed in engines burns | Fuel-economy oils save a few percent of fuel (indicative), far larger than the additive footprint. | indicative |
| End of life | about 3 t CO2 per t if burned as fuel (indicative) | – | used oil burned, re-refined or lost to environment | Re-refining recovers base oil; additive metals go to residue. | indicative |
Other environmental impacts
Used oil leakage contaminates water; zinc and phosphorus in waste streams.
Levers to cut emissions
- Formulations for low-viscosity, fuel-saving oils
- Longer drain intervals (less oil per km)
- Re-refining-compatible additives
- Bio-based esters and biodegradable hydraulic and marine fluids
India
India's growing vehicle fleet and BS-VI engines raise demand for low-SAPS and fuel-economy packages; used-oil re-refining is regulated but partly informal.
Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.Low-carbon routes
| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Re-refined base oil with new additive packages | lower than virgin base oil (indicative) | small (indicative) | commercial in the US, EU and India | indicative |