Novvi LLC

Wui Sum Willbe Ho

Eduardo J Baralt

Jason Wells

Jason Charles Rosalli

Liwenny Ho

Benton Thomas

Jason R Wells

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a process for producing synthetic hydrocarbon base oils having advantageous properties for formulation of engine oils, and the base oils obtained by such processes, involving the production of branched alkenes from the oligomerization of C14-C18 olefins. According to one embodiment, the base oils are obtained by first forming a mixture of two or more olefins ranging from C14-C18, where one of the olefins is an alpha olefin and the other has an average double bond position between 1.5-5.0, and oligomerizing this mixture in the presence of a catalyst to form one or more branched alkenes, hydrogenating the branched alkenes, and fractionating to form base oils. According to one aspect, advantageous properties can be obtained by controlling one or more of the degree of branching, branch length, branching positions, selection of the C14-C18 olefins, and catalytic isomerization, during or after the oligomerization process.

Base oils and methods of making the same

A process for the preparation of saturated hydrocarbon base oils is provided, comprising oligomerization of a feed mixture that has an average carbon number in the range of 14 to 18 to produce an oligomer product comprising dimers, trimers, and higher oligomers, where the dimer has a branching proximity (BP) of 20 or greater, isomerization of at least the dimer portion, and hydrogenation of the isomerized product. The dimer portion is separated from the oligomer product, and a saturated hydrocarbon base oil is obtained comprising greater than 90% dimers having an average carbon number in the range of from 29 to 36, and the dimer portion having a weight average molecular weight in the range of 422 to 510, where the dimers have an average Branching Index (BI) in a range of 22 to 26 and an average paraffin branching proximity (BP) in a range of from 18 to 26.

A polyalphaolefin composition is provided comprising trimers of C12 alpha-olefins and dimers of C14 alpha-olefins, where the ratio by weight of C12 trimer to C14 dimer is within a range of 4:1 by weight to 1:4 by weight, where the C12 trimer enriched polyalphaolefin has an average branching ratio &#x3c;0.2 and the C14 dimer has an average branching ratio of &#x3e;0.20, and where the average branching ratio for all C12 trimers and C14 dimers is between 0.19 and 0.26. The composition has a boiling point distribution where less than 30% by weight of the composition has a boiling point between 420&#xb0; C. and 455&#xb0; C., and the resulting base oil has a kinematic viscosity of about 3.3 to 4.7 cSt at 100&#xb0; C.

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Oakland, CA, United States of America

Wui Sum Willbe Ho