New Chinese Alliance set to introduce specs for diesel engines.
According to Lube Report, the Chinese Lubricant Specification Development Alliance is aiming to introduce specifications for diesel engine oil bench testing in 2019 and for diesel engine oils in 2020.
Members of the alliance include state-owned CNPC and Sinopec, as well as five major Chinese diesel truck makers. The biggest challenge was sourcing appropriate engines to develop the specifications, but this was overcome when four of the largest manufacturers provided test units, while JAC Motor provided collaborative technical expertise with the aim of developing diesel engine oils that can improve efficiency and fuel economy.
In conversation with Lube Report, Yang Guofeng, deputy director at CNPC Lanzhou Lubricating Oil R&D Institute said: "Engines are the key for bench testing... China’s capability of developing proprietary diesel engines is mature enough. This is why we decided to start with diesel engine oils.”
Western standards, currently used in China, are considered unfit for the development priorities of national producers, including types and use of additives. It's claimed that Chinese lubes companies could potentially make significant savings if they only had to undergo the five engine tests for the China standard, compared to the ten tests required by API in the US.
The alliance is, according to reports, also working to establish an independent laboratory that can monitor tests and certify oils that pass them.