Group III Base Oil (4 cSt, 6 cSt, 8 cSt)

Hydrocracked, isodewaxed VI 120+ base stocks for synthetic-labelled engine oils

Group III base oil is the top mineral group in API 1509 Appendix E: saturates of 90% or more, sulphur of 0.03% or less and a viscosity index of 120 or higher. It is made by hydrocracking vacuum gas oil and then isomerising the waxy paraffins, so the stock is almost free of aromatics and sulphur, and the grades are named for their viscosity at 100 °C: 4, 6 and 8 cSt, with 2, 3 and 10 cSt grades from some plants. Producer data show what a buyer should expect on the certificate of analysis: S-OIL's Ultra-S 4 sheet reads 19.7 cSt at 40 °C, 4.27 cSt at 100 °C, viscosity index 124, flash point 220 °C COC, pour point -20 °C, Noack volatility 14.7% by weight, sulphur 1 ppm and saturates 99% minimum; SK's Yubase 4 is listed at 4.2 cSt, VI 126 and Noack 14.5%, and Yubase 6 at 6.0 cSt, VI 133 and Noack 7.0%. Noack is the number that separates Group III from Group II in practice, because a 0W-20 or 5W-30 engine oil cannot meet its volatility limit on Group II alone, and the 4 cSt grade carries most of that duty while 6 and 8 cSt add body. Group III is what most "synthetic" labelled passenger-car oils are blended on, alongside PAO in the full-synthetic top tier.

Producers are concentrated: SK Enmove, S-OIL, GS Caltex and Hyundai in South Korea; the SK-Repsol joint venture Ilboc at Cartagena, Spain, with 630,000 t a year of Group II and III; Petronas at Melaka, Malaysia, making 4 and 6 cSt since 2008 and later a 10 cSt grade; ExxonMobil's Baytown complex in Texas, which added 4 and 6 cSt Group III to its slate; and Luberef at Yanbu on the Saudi Red Sea coast, whose Growth II expansion adds Group III to a 1.3 million t a year base oil site. For customs Group III sits with the other lubricating base oils in HS 2710.19, so trade statistics do not separate it. Pricing is per MT against Argus or ICIS Group III assessments, FOB Korea or CFR the discharge port. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers Group III base oil against the producing refinery's certificate of analysis, a certificate of origin naming the refinery, and SGS or Intertek inspection at load; no offer is worked on tank-storage receipts, dip tests or advance-fee procedures. Lots move in bulk parcel tankers, ISO tanks, flexitanks of about 20-22 t per 20-ft container, or new steel drums. Send the grade, quantity, packing, destination port and payment terms.

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Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.