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long-lasting super lubes
Step-out lubricants from ExxonMobil strengthen customer partnerships and protect the environment.
This article originally appeared in the Lamp, 2007 — Number 4
Second of a two-part series
It’s called a “biogas digester,” and it’s being used at a growing number of farms, animal feedlots and wastewater operations around the world to extract methane gas from animal waste. One such place is Haubenschild Farms, a dairy operation in Princeton, Minnesota, population 4,500.
“Dennis Haubenschild is a ‘waste not, want not’ kind of guy,” jokes Brad Prickett, an ExxonMobil industrial sales engineer. “There are about 800 cows on his farm, and their waste is collected and piped into an underground cement pit warmed to 100 degrees. That environment is ideal for producing methane gas, and after about 21 days the gas is channeled to a Caterpillar 3406 engine. The engine powers a generator that produces electricity for the Haubenschild farm, as well as 60 homes, with the remainder being sold to the power grid.”
Sustainable partnerships
The biogas system’s Caterpillar engine is lubricated with Mobil Pegasus 605 oil, used by Haubenschild since 1999. Sensible preventive maintenance practices along with Mobil Pegasus 605 have given the system five years of service without the need for an expensive engine rebuild because there has been no significant engine wear.
It is a “sustainable” system with environmental, social and economic benefits. Haubenschild’s use of Mobil Pegasus 605 has saved nearly $20,000 through a fourfold increase in the time between oil changes and the elimination of more than 180 hours of associated labor.
“Based on customer comments, and our long-term, proprietary gas-engine oil-development program conducted at the ExxonMobil Research and Engineering (EMRE) laboratories in Paulsboro, New Jersey, we believe ExxonMobil is the leading provider of lubricant technologies for engines that generate electricity in landfills and waste-processing facilities like the one at Haubenschild Farms,” says David Page, global industrial strategy advisor.
“Our Mobil Pegasus biogas engine lubricants are designed to handle the extreme operating environment imposed by such applications. These products simply help engines run better and last longer,” Page adds.
The Mobil Pegasus line of industrial lubricants is specifically developed for natural-gas and biogas engine operations. Products include Mobil Pegasus 1, a fully synthetic formulation designed for operation in extreme ambient temperatures.
Recently, ExxonMobil launched Mobil Pegasus 1005, its “next-generation” premium natural-gas engine oil. Mobil Pegasus 1005 was field-tested for more than 40,000 hours in engines around the world and has been shown to last up to twice as long as previous offerings on the market. This means potentially fewer oil changes and longer service intervals. Mobil Pegasus 1005 has a unique chemistry that improves the cleanliness of engines and helps reduce deposits to minimize engine downtime. The company also launched Mobil Pegasus SR last year for especially challenging landfill gas-engine applications.
All products in the Pegasus line are aimed at lowering operating costs and boosting productivity. “It’s about improving customers’ productivity so they are more competitive in their marketplace,” says Page. “Mobil industrial lubricants products are developed with that objective in mind.”
Define, develop, deploy
While performance is paramount, these products face a broader challenge than simply meeting basic specifications. ExxonMobil’s flagship lubricants are developed with “step-out” opportunities in mind — opening doors to carry the product line to the next level of performance.
Opportunities are formulated by studying market and industry trends identified by the company’s strategic global accounts, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), other equipment builders and additional marketing resources. That information is then translated into performance diagrams to define and document the desired attributes of new lubricants. This process is applied to lubricant applications across the board, be they automotive, commercial, industrial, marine or aviation.
“We are working with Toyota, Chrysler, Volvo, Caterpillar and others to gain insights and understanding leading to the development of a better breed of lubricants,” says Grant Karsner, global products technology manager. “OEMs such as these are especially interested in lubricant products that offer fewer drain intervals, better fuel economy and emission reductions. We work with the manufacturers to develop lubricants that meet and exceed these important performance objectives.”
Karsner says ExxonMobil’s technology program of lube development can be summed up in three words: define, develop, deploy. This means defining the step-out opportunities, developing the lubricants at company laboratories based on an understanding of those opportunities, and then deploying the lubricants in a coordinated effort with Marketing. Deployment support includes creating sales materials and communication packages, and educating customers about product performance as well as supporting the product after the sale is made.
“Mobil 1 EP [Extended Performance] motor oil is an example of a U.S.-marketed lubricant product that evolved out of this process,” Karsner adds. “Before Mobil 1 EP, it was customary to drain the oil out of your vehicle every 3,000 miles. Here we had an obvious step-out opportunity. Mobil 1 EP comes with a 15,000-mile oil-drain interval guarantee. This means you can drive your car for 15,000 miles before you need an oil change — a true paradigm buster.”
Another example Karsner notes is a series of ExxonMobil’s low SAP (sulfur, ash and phosphorous) lubricants that reduce the impact on air quality without sacrificing operational capability. “The unique set of additives we developed for this application reduces tailpipe emissions while maintaining lubrication performance,” he says.
Environmental benefits
ExxonMobil’s Lubricants & Specialties (L&S) organization places a high value on environmental stewardship, whether it applies to the use of any of its products, disposition of its products after use or during manufacturing plant operations.
“Environmental planning is integrated into our overall business planning,” says Charlie Rau, global environmental advisor for Lubricants & Specialties. “As we see it, environmental benefits are but one aspect of truly sustainable products and plant operations. Sustainable systems result when there is an intersection of economic and social as well as environmental benefits. So we strive for products that provide economic benefits like better fuel economy and longer drain intervals, while delivering environmental and societal benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and lower volumes of used oil needing to be disposed of.
“We also work with Earth 911, an environmental advocacy group, to help more of our customers learn where to dispose of their used oil,” Rau adds. “Finally, the L&S Standards of Environmental Care provide equipment design and maintenance standards to reduce spill risks and energy utilization for all of our operating plants around the world. We believe the planning that goes into L&S products and plants helps make a sustainable difference.”
