On December 28, 2021, at the National Petroleum and Chemical Industry Science and Technology Innovation Conference, the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation issued the Decision on Recognizing the 2021 Innovation Platforms in the Petroleum and Chemical Industry (China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation Science and Technology Development [2021] No. 313). The Lubricant Company’s “Key Laboratory for Low-Carbon Energy Conservation and High-End Lubrication in China’s Petroleum and Chemical Industry” was ultimately recognized after passing the preliminary review, expert evaluation, and defense.
Against the backdrop of the “dual carbon” goals and energy conservation and emissions reduction, the establishment of the Key Laboratory for Low-Carbon Energy Conservation and High-End Lubrication in China’s Petroleum and Chemical Industry is aimed at addressing national strategic needs, staying at the forefront of global science and technology, fully integrating high-quality resources from associations and enterprises, focusing on the latest industry hotspots and development trends, and conducting applied basic research in the fields of low-carbon energy conservation and high-end lubrication. It will contribute to national economic development and social progress, and provide support and guidance for enterprise technological innovation and technological advancement in the industry.
The Key Laboratory is a research entity affiliated with the R&D Center. Leveraging the talent resources of scientific research institutes, it establishes a research platform for fundamental research on lubricant applications, conducting fundamental research in areas such as lubricant base oils, additives, and analysis and evaluation. Focusing on the three main themes of “major national projects, lucid waters and lush mountains, and new energy,” it develops core green and low-carbon, energy-saving and environmentally friendly lubrication technologies and advanced lubricant materials with independent intellectual property rights.
High-end lubricants are an important research and development direction for the Lubricants Company, especially high-performance high-end synthetic lubricant base oils. In 2017, the Lubricants Company and the Petrochemical Research Institute of PetroChina Company Limited jointly undertook the national project “Key Technology Research and Application for the Production of High-Performance Lubricants.” After in-depth research, the project has achieved major breakthroughs. The complete technology package for the continuous clean production of low-viscosity PAO lubricant base oils was successfully commissioned at China’s first 10,000-ton-per-year industrial unit for low-viscosity PAO base oils—the Kunlun Lubricants 10,000-ton-per-year low-viscosity PAO industrial demonstration unit. The Key Laboratory for Low-Carbon Energy Conservation and High-End Lubricants is based at the Dalian R&D Center and Lanzhou R&D Center. The laboratory covers an area of 17,748 square meters and has 193 pieces (sets) of testing, analysis, and evaluation equipment valued at over RMB 500,000 each.
The main innovation tasks of the Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Energy Conservation and High-End Lubrication of China’s Petroleum and Chemical Industry are the development of high-end chemicals such as lubricant additives; research on additive mechanisms of action and structure–activity relationships; research on green lubrication, energy-saving lubrication, regenerated lubrication, and low-carbon lubrication technologies; research on key technologies for high-end lubricating oil base oils and additives; evaluation and utilization of regenerated base oil resources; and development of Chinese lubricating oil specifications and standards. The goal is to establish a key lubricating oil laboratory in China’s petroleum and chemical industry featuring “forward-looking innovation awareness, strong talent capabilities, advanced technical methods, and rapid market response.”
Next, the lubricant company will, in accordance with the provisions and requirements of the Administrative Measures for Innovation Platforms in the Petroleum and Chemical Industry, further strengthen the development of R&D facilities, accelerate the training of innovative talent, and increase efforts in scientific and technological innovation, making positive contributions to improving the industry’s scientific and technological level and promoting industrial restructuring and transformation and development.
