The global lubricants market size was valued at USD 172.13 billion in 2023 and is projected to be worth USD 175.52 billion in 2024 and reach USD 205.62 billion by 2032.
organisms. These organisms take a biodegradable substance and break it down into simpler elements, like water or carbon dioxide, or naturally occurring minerals, blending back into the earth without leaving toxic substances behind.
Biodegradable base oils are primarily classified as vegetable oils or biodegradable synthetic esters. They are categorised based on their source and biodegradability level, determined by standards like CEC-L-33-A-93, ISO 9439 or OECD 301 series. The term “bio-based” can also be used for products with a majority of renewable content, though they may not all be fully biodegradable.
Figure 2: Global Lubricants Market (courtesy, Fortune Business Insight,
https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/img/featured_images/ lubricants_market-01.webp)
API base oil categories
What the oil is made of, how it is manufactured, and how the lubricant handles certain environments such as extreme heat are defined by the base oil category. The American Petroleum Institute (API) has categorised base oils into five categories (API 1509, Appendix E). The first three groups are refined from petroleum crude oil. Group IV base oils are full synthetic (polyalphaolefin) oils. Group V is for all other base oils not included in Groups I through IV. Before all the additives are added to the mixture, lubricating oils begin as one or more of these five API groups.
Vegetable base oils Vegetable base oils in some cases can be used as lubricants in their natural forms. Vegetable base oils have a very high Viscosity Index (VI); for example, 223 for soybean oil vs. 90 to 100 for most petroleum oils.
Another important property of vegetable oils is their high flash/fire points, like 610°F (326°C) which is flash point of soybean oil compared to a flash point of approximately 392°F (200°C) for mineral oils.
Most importantly, vegetable oils are biodegradable, in general are less toxic, are renewable and reduce dependency on imported petroleum oils.
Additives for environmentally friendly lubricants and vegetable base oils are used in production of lubricants which are biodegradable like chain saw oils, hydraulic fluids, outboard motor oils, saw mill oils and transformer fluids.
Figure 3: API Base Oil Categories (Image courtesy of API)
Biodegradable base oils are primarily classified under API Group V, as this group includes all base oils that don’t fit into the other four categories, such as biodegradable esters derived from vegetable oils. However, some advanced bio-based hydrocarbons can also meet the criteria for API Group III and Group IV.
Biodegradable base oils Something is biodegradable if it breaks down naturally through the action of bacteria, fungi, or other living
20 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.191 FEBRUARY 2026
There are a variety of vegetable oils commonly used for lubricants: Soybean oil is widely available and used in many lubricants, including as a feedstock for producing esters.
Rapeseed oil has historically been used for lubricant, which has industrial-grade versions high in erucic acid, making it ideal for lubrication. Meanwhile, canola oil, a specific type of rapeseed oil used as a base oil for various biodegradable lubricants, including hydraulic fluids, industrial machine lubricants, greases, and metalworking fluids like cutting and rolling oils.
Similarly, sunflower oil is frequently used as a base for bio-lubricants and in blends with other oils;
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