There has been widespread concern over lubricants contributing for higher emissions. In view of the dwindling resources, Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd. manufactures lubricants with extended drain intervals that not merely last longer but protects this fast diminishing resource. It also helps in emission reduction and thus reduces environmental degradation.
Expressing his views on the current scenario in the CII conference on green technologies for automotive sector in Chennai, Mr. Ravi Chawla, Managing Director, Gulf Oil Lubricants, said there are two lubricant segments. One is industrial and the other automotive. In automotive lubricants, 45 per cent are engine oils. This is an area where extended drain intervals can contribute significantly. In commercial vehicles, drain intervals have increased from 15,000 km to 80,000 km, offering a substantial saving to fleet operators.
He said there are certain lubricants which can improve fuel economy close to two per cent using low viscosity grade oil. These products are gaining popularity in the industry as they improve mileage. Yet another challenge faced is vehicle emissions. The selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology has come in handy to reduce NOx in heavy duty diesel engines. This gives better fuel economy and reduces NOx emission. Thus all BS IV vehicles can adopt this technology.
According to him, this technology requires a liquid called AdBlue, which is an extremely pure solution, especially developed for diesel engines with a SCR system of emission control. AdBlue mainly consists of dimeralized pure water and high quality automotive grade urea. Injected into exhaust gas to reduce harmful NOx emissions, it meets BS IV emission standards. Using AdBlue with SCR technology can reduce fuel consumption up to two per cent.
Gulf Oil has its pioneering role in this area, and is providing AdBlue in India to bring down emission levels to a considerable extent, Mr. Chawla added.