Sourcing SN150 Base Oil: What Actually Matters Before You Sign the Order
The first number to look at in most cases is the cost per metric ton. This is one of the most straightforward factors for comparison, which makes it the usual first point of filtration. However, those producers of lubricants that have had previous experience know that the least expensive SN150 from the list of quotations will become the most costly one when a few tons of substandard product arrive.
This is the main factor you should pay attention to if you are procuring SN150 for the first time or reconsidering your supplier because of the problems with your existing one.
The SN150 is a solvent neutral base stock of Group I. The term "SN" stands for solvent refining technique, while "150" is the approximate viscosity group of the oil. Despite being relatively light among Group I oils, that very feature makes it a highly-traded stock because it can be blended well with other stocks and leaves some leeway to the formula designer.
This is the base stock used for passenger car engine oils, diesel engine oils, hydraulic oils, gear oils, compressor oils, greases, and industrial/agricultural lubricants. This stock is not used pure in any application, but mixed with the heavier or lighter ones in order to obtain the required viscosity and performance properties. That along with excellent oxidation stability and good compatibility with most additive packages is why this stock is one of the most-traded base stocks in Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions.
The drums marked "SN150" produced at two different refineries do not contain the same product. The quality of the refining and the consistency from batch to batch may be different, although the headline viscosity number is equal. That's why the Technical Data Sheet and the Certificate of Analysis are more important than the label.
Let's review the things to be checked:
Kinematic viscosity: Check whether it is within the range offered by the supplier and remains constant for each new batch. Otherwise, you will have to constantly correct your formula.
Viscosity index: The higher the viscosity index, the less oil thins in higher temperatures and the more reliable the performance of the final product will be.
Flash point: High flash points ensure a wide safety margin during transportation, storage, and handling.
Pour point: If the winter season is harsh for your end-users market, this shows the lowest temperature at which oil remains liquid.
Sulfur content: Group I oils contain sulfur by nature. It should be the required amount according to your formula.
Color and density: Color is a parameter characterizing the consistency of the refining process rather than an independent specification. Density affects only mixing and inventory calculations.
When the supplier is reluctant to provide documents, there is a message for you there. It should be made clear before the order confirmation that the Technical Data Sheet, the Certificate of Analysis, the Safety Data Sheet, the Certificate of Origin, the packing list, the commercial invoice, and the bill of lading are required. In the case of bigger shipments, an independent inspection certificate by companies such as SGS or Bureau Veritas may also come in handy.
There's no single right answer here, only what fits your volume and infrastructure:
Price tells you almost nothing about whether a supplier can actually deliver, month after month, at the spec you agreed to. Before signing, ask:
The answers usually say more about a supplier's reliability than their quotation does.
Here are a couple of recurring errors in this market:
Selecting the product based on price alone, without considering what the cost of using the lower-quality oil will be in terms of reformulation. Not checking out the COA/TDS, the step where sub-standard material gets by. Thinking all SN150 oils are the same regardless of the refinery, even when their viscosity ratings are the same. Underestimating the importance of reliable logistics, as critical to the oil itself if you run your plant non-stop. And changing suppliers too frequently, which adds its own variability to formulations optimized for one base oil.
The formulation developed on one batch of SN150 should behave the same after six months using a new batch from the same supplier. The slightest changes in viscosity, sulfur level or oxidation stability would affect your company in reformulating, testing or changing the amount of additives to use. Consistency of supply is more valuable than the lower price that you can get from an inconsistent supplier.
At Synergysol Trading, not only do we offer you SN150, but also other group I, II, and III base oils, bright stock, lubricants, aromatics, and other chemical products to our clients in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and many other locations. We cater to our clients who require shipments of their specifications with complete logistical and document support irrespective of whether they require a single container or a bulk shipment on a regular basis.
Get in touch with our team to request a quotation, ask about current stock and lead times, or receive a sample COA before you commit.