Chevron to offer CJ-4 and CI-4 Plus oils in 2007

Chevron Products Company announced at the Mid America Trucking Show that it will continue to offer its CI-4 Plus engine oil in 2007, even after the introduction of the upcoming CJ-4 specification. Rather than convert entirely to CJ-4, Chevron will offer both a CJ-4 and a CI-4 Plus version of its Delo and Ursa branded oils due to expected market demand and customer feedback.

“Historically Chevron has fully embraced each new heavy-duty engine oil specification,” said Nicole Fujishige, lubricants marketing manager, Chevron Products Company. “In this situation, there was clearly a need to retain the CI-4 Plus oil, while introducing the CJ-4 product.”

Although backwards compatible, CJ-4 will likely be more expensive than CI-4 Plus and is not required in pre-2007 engines. Based on fleet composition, the majority of Chevron’s customers will have a greater need for CI-4 Plus, so Chevron will keep that product on the market until conditions change, Fujishige said.

The Delo CJ-4 product, to be known as Delo 400 LE (Low Emissions) Multigrade SAE 15W-40, will be offered alongside the CI-4 Plus specification oil, Delo 400 Multigrade SAE 15W-40. The new Texaco Ursa CJ-4 product will be known as Texaco Ursa LA (Low Ash) SAE 15W-40.

Irving Oil set for fall ULSD deadline

By Adam Ledlow

East Coast powerhouse Irving Oil sent representative Rob Gardner to speak at the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association’s recent Technology and Maintenance Conference to explain what’s on the road ahead for Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel.

In 2003, Irving first announced it would be investing $100 million to produce ULSD in order to comply with EPA and Environment Canada standards casino online Canada. The low-sulfur fuel is designed to drop the current on-road diesel’s sulfur content from 500 parts per million (PPM) to a drastically reduced 15 PPM. The new 2007 engines are clean-burning machines which require very low sulfur content because, as Gardner says, sulfur “poisons” the catalysts in the aftertreatment equipment.

However, despite promises of a cleaner environment, the fuel poses potential problems for companies such as Irving, as well as the customers they service.

“One of the common concerns with ULSD for engines is the lubricity rating,” said Jan Waldschutz, spokesperson for Irving Oil. To combat this problem, a lubricity additive will likely be required at the refinery stage.

Another concern from both fleets and drivers is a potential drop in the energy level of the ultra low-sulfur fuel. Waldschutz says Irving doesn’t expect the energy level of its ULSD to be much different than its current LSD as essentially all the same components (including Cetane, pour point., cloud point and API) will remain in the fuel even after the sulfur has been removed.)

With so many customers involved in a fuel’s life along the supply chain, the threat of contamination is very real. Heating oil has a sulfur content about 200 times greater than traditional on-road diesel, so according to Gardner, preventing contamination between these two fuels is vital.

In the shipping industry, no physical changes to the ships are required, though existing procedures for washing ships will need to be heightened.

“Most of the systems that handle ULSD have to be segregated from systems that handle heating oil or jet fuel to prevent contamination,” Waldschutz said. “Our ULSD investment (has) included a significant amount of work to our diesel blending systems, as well as projects to segregate ULSD from other products in our marine terminals.”

Irving’s initial investment of $100 million included modifying its Hydrogen Desulfurization unit, hydrocracking unit, blending systems at its refinery (including pipes and storage tanks), and installing a hydrogen extraction unit. Changes to the blending systems will eventually bring Irving’s total investment to over $150 million.

Irving’s ULSD will be available at retail sites Sept. 1.

Chevron introduces new longer

lasting extended life coolant

By James Menzies

Chevron has introduced a new extended life coolant that can last eight years or 750,000 miles without extenders for on-highway applications.

However, if a Chevron chemical extender is added at 500,000 miles (or 10,000 hours), the cooling system will be protected for one million miles (or 20,000 hours).

Current extended life coolant products typically have a life expectancy of 400,000 miles without extender and 600,000 miles if an extender is used at 300,000 miles or 12,000 hours.

Chevron reps also said the new formula will provide even better protection against the higher operating temperatures expected to be the norm with the new 2007 engines. The new extended life coolant will continue to be the factory fill formula for many North American OEMs, the company says. Chevron rolled the new formula out through its Chevron and Texaco marketers in March.