LOCAL REPORT
example, it wasn’t until 2021 that strict enforcement of newer engine oil quality standards began in Saudi Arabia. Compare this to North American or European markets, where minimum performance standards are regularly revised every few years. While these rules eliminated the use of some very poor-quality lubricants from the marketplace, there is still room— and need—for improvement. Modern vehicles require modern lubricants designed specifically to meet challenges like LSPI.
And that’s just the passenger car market. Modern heavy-duty diesel vehicles, now standardly equipped with sophisticated aftertreatment devices, have their own demands of high-performance commercial lubricants. It is for these reasons that lubricant industry stakeholders must continue to advocate for the widespread adoption of higher-quality engine oils throughout the region.
Developing high-performance lubricants with additive technology Advocating for higher standards in engine oil availability in the Middle East also comes with its practical considerations. That is: How to develop and apply them locally, reliably and efficiently? There are challenges and opportunities here. First and foremost is access to technologically advanced additives and performance polymers that enable new lubricants to perform as needed. The best of these technologies also enables lubricants to meet a broad range of performance requirements set forward by different OEMs, which is critical as the region will continue to see diversity in imported vehicles.
But at present, these chemistries are not manufactured locally, requiring lubricant blenders and manufacturers to import them. With a number of global uncertainties and instabilities that continue to impact supply chains, importing the right additives will remain a considerable challenge for the foreseeable future.
Simultaneously, local production of higher-quality base stocks is growing, better enabling local blenders to develop modern lubricants that meet the performance demands of modern vehicles. Taking these factors together, there is a bright future for high-performance lubricants throughout the Middle East—but all stakeholders must continue working diligently to turn this potential into reality.
Electrification and sustainability Gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles will continue to proliferate in the years to come, but that does not mean the region is ignoring electrification. For example, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has pledged to dramatically increase the domestic production of electric vehicles by 2030.
Electric vehicles have new and different demands of lubricants and grease, requiring dedicated fluids that must typically be formulated at very light viscosities. Elsewhere, all fluids throughout an electrified drivetrain must also deliver heightened levels of corrosion protection, lower levels of electric conductivity, and other factors. Delivering on these needs will additionally require access to high-quality base oils and high-performance additives throughout the Middle East.
A global appetite for high-performance lubricants is only growing. High-quality base oils, along with new additive technology, will play an important role in enabling reliable performance in modern vehicles—throughout the Middle East and around the world. There will be challenges ahead, and it’s incumbent upon our industry to work together in solving them, helping to enable modern engine technology to meet its full potential.
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