Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Sara M Berberich

Michael B Carroll

Eric D Joseck

Yogi V Shukla

David Mentzer

Methods are provided for producing a plurality of lubricant base oil products with an increased overall yield. Prior to the final hydrocracking stage for viscosity index uplift, a feed for making a lubricant base oil is fractionated in order to form at least a feed for making a lighter lubricant base oil and a feed for making a heavier lubricant base oil. The fractionation cut points are selected to so that the feed fraction for forming a light lubricant base oil has a higher Noack volatility and a lower viscosity than the desired targets for the lighter lubricant base oil. The feed fractions are then hydroprocessed separately to achieve desired properties. After hydroprocessing, a portion of the heavier base oil is blended into the light lubricant base oil to produce a blended base oil product. This returns the volatility and the viscosity of the blended base oil to the desired specifications.

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Oakton, VA, United States of America

Sara M Berberich