Description

An additive is a chemical or formulated package blended into an oil, fuel or process stream to improve a specific property or solve a handling problem. The base fluid and the additive package together determine performance. The product must still be tested against its intended specification.

 

01 — Lubricant additives

Additive type	What it does	Typical application
Detergents	Control deposits and neutralize acids	Engine and marine cylinder oils
Dispersants	Keep soot and insolubles suspended	Engine oils; some hydraulic fluids
Antioxidants	Slow oil oxidation and thickening	Turbine, compressor and engine oils
Antiwear / extreme-pressure agents	Protect loaded metal contacts	Hydraulic, gear and engine oils
Friction modifiers	Adjust boundary friction	Engine and transmission fluids
Viscosity modifiers	Limit viscosity change with temperature	Multigrade engine and gear oils
Pour point depressants	Improve low-temperature flow	Wax-containing lubricant blends
Rust / corrosion inhibitors	Protect metal surfaces	Industrial and circulating oils
Antifoam agents / demulsifiers	Control foam / improve water separation	Hydraulic, turbine and compressor oils

Examples of chemistry include overbased metal sulfonates or phenates (detergents), ashless succinimides (dispersants), ZDDP or phosphate compounds (antiwear), polymeric viscosity modifiers and silicone-based defoamers. The choice depends on the formulation.

 

02 — Fuel and finished-product additives

Product treatment and refinery process treatment serve different purposes.

Additive type	What it does	Typical application
Diesel lubricity improvers	Protect fuel-system contacts	Low-sulfur diesel and renewable blends
Cetane improvers	Improve ignition quality	Diesel blending, after testing
Cold-flow improvers	Improve filterability in cold weather	Diesel and heating oil
Wax anti-settling agents	Limit wax settling in storage	Middle-distillate fuels
Injector detergents	Control injector deposits	Diesel or gasoline packages
Antioxidants / stabilizers	Limit oxidative degradation	Stored fuels and blendstocks
Corrosion / static-control agents	Protect systems / manage static charge	Terminals, pipelines and fuel handling
Demulsifiers / dehazers	Aid water separation and clarity	Finished fuel handling

 

03 — Refinery, storage and transport additives

Additive type	What it does	Typical application
Demulsifiers	Break oil-water emulsions	Feed treatment and desalting
Corrosion inhibitors	Protect equipment surfaces	Selected process and transfer systems
Antifoulants / dispersants	Limit fouling and deposits	Heat exchange and process circuits
H2S scavengers	Reduce hydrogen sulfide in streams	Specific product or handling needs
Pour point / wax inhibitors	Improve heavy-stream handling	Fuel oil, crude and transfer lines
Process antifoams	Suppress unwanted process foam	Separators, columns and tanks

 

04 — How to select an additive

1. Define the target. Identify the product, use, required property and applicable customer or regulatory specification.
2. Characterize the actual stream. Measure the relevant properties of the base oil, fuel blend or refinery feed. Composition and contaminants affect response.
3. Screen compatibility. Check solubility, interactions with other additives, water behavior, seals, catalysts and downstream handling.
4. Confirm by testing. Follow supplier guidance and use bench, pilot or field tests as needed. Verify the finished product against the target specification.

 

05 — Important distinctions

Lubricant additives remain in the formulated oil. Fuel additives are dosed into a finished fuel or blendstock. Process additives are used in refining, storage or transport, with different intended destinations and residue requirements. A diesel lubricity improver is not a substitute for an engine-oil antiwear package.

Commercial note: Selection and dosage depend on feed composition, product specification, supplier data and laboratory results. This industry guide does not represent an offer to supply every listed additive.

 

Selected technical references

• Lubrizol — Lubricant and Fuel Additives: lubrizol.com/solutions/technologies/lubricant-and-fuel-additives
• Infineum — Cold Flow Improvement: infineum.com/customer-centric-innovation/energy-applications/industry-infrastructure/cold-flow/
• Infineum — Lubricity Improvement: infineum.com/customer-centric-innovation/energy-applications/industry-infrastructure/lubricity/
• Clariant — Refinery Process Additives: clariant.com/en/Business-Units/Care-Chemicals/Refinery-Services/Refinery-Process-Additives
• Clariant — Cold Flow Improvers: clariant.com/en/Business-Units/Care-Chemicals/Refinery-Services/Cold-Flow-Improvers