Historical Facts(borrowed from wayback machine since synlube website was down)
1877
C. Friedler and J.M. Crafts synthesize the first "synthetic" hydrocarbons.
1913
Friedrich Bergius in Germany develops Hydrogenation process for production of synthetic oil from coal dust
1921
Standard Oil in USA produces one barrel of synthetic oil from one ton of shale rock
1921
Friedrich Bergius in Germany develops commercial process for hydrogenation of coal to synthetic oil
1925
In Germany Franz Fisher and Hans Tropsch develop Synthetic Oil industrial production process
1926
I.G. Farben acquired the patent rights to the Bergius hydrogenation process for production of synthetic oil from coal
1927
I.G. Farben's Leuna works start synthetic oil production
1929
Standard Oil of Indiana makes the first attempt at commercial development of synthetic hydrocarbons
Many gallons of synthetic oil were made by polymerization of different olefins.
1930-34
Union Carbide and Carbon Corp develop and investigate the applications of water soluble Polyalkylene Glycol (PAG)
1931
Nobel Prize for Chemistry:
Friedrich Bergius & Carl Bosch
Invention and development of chemical high pressure methods (used for synthetic oil production)
1932
I.G. Farben investment into synthetic fuels production from coal
1936
Adolf Hitler in Germany starts Major synthetic fuels and oil program
1937
First Polyalphaolefins were synthesized
1939
Fischer-Tropsh process that used carbon monoxide and hydrogen to make synthetic oils and fuels was commercialized in Germany
1942-45
PAG synthetic oils used in fleets and commercial vehicles
1944-1954
10% of German supply of lubricating oil is "synthetic", made by using three different processes
1944
US Army aircraft operating in Alaska and Canada use PAG engine oils
1944-45
The idea of using colloidal solids in synthetic fluids for lubrication of the first jet engines is tested and researched in Germany
1946
National Carbide Company, Inc. markets the "First" commercial PAG engine oils
Prestone Motor Oil
1946
New York Power & Light Corp uses PAG engine oils in variety of their commercial vehicles.
1942-1955
Diester oils used in turbine engines because Petroleum oil simply was inadequate to meet the demands of these engines.
1962
Texaco produces Synthetic Aircraft Turbine Oil
1962-66
U.S. Army experiences significant problems in operating vehicles and equipment in Alaska with
MIL-L-10295 Lubricating Oil.
1965
Mobil introduces fully synthetic grease
1966
First Syn! Synthetic Super Lubricants produced in Canada
1966
Motul introduces first semi-synthetic motor oil in France
1968
U.S. Army develops MIL-L-46167 specification, which can be satisfied only with PAO synthetic oil
1969
SynLube Company is formed in Vancouver, B.C. Canada – it’s specialty the first "syn-sol".
1970’s
Arab Oil embargo prompts interest in "synthetic" oils
1971
Motul in France introduces first all-synthetic oil in Europe
1972
AMSOIL is formed and markets re-labeled MIL specification oils to motoring public through multi-level "pyramid" type organization.
1974
Mobil test markets Mobil 1 synthetic SAE 5W-20 "synthesized engine lubricant"
1976
Mobil 1 goes national in USA and changes the product description to "synthetic" motor oil
1980
Mobil introduces second generation synthetic motor oil Mobil 1 available as SAE 5W-30 and 15W-50
1982
SynLube in Canada produces first SAE 5W-50 all synthetic motor oil
1984
Agip in Italy introduces synthetic motor oil SAE 10W-50
1985
U.S. Army uses the MIL-L-46167 lubes in other than arctic conditions.
1986
Mobil only in Europe introduces Rally Formula Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil SAE 5W-50
1990
Quaker State introduces line of Synquest synthetic lubricants: grease NLGI No.2 GC-LB, motor oil SAE 5W-50 and gear oil SAE 75W-90
1990
SynLube opens sales office in Las Vegas, Nevada USA
1990
Chevron introduces synthetic motor oil
SAE 5W-30 and 5W-50
1992
Mobil introduces Advanced Formula Mobil 1 motor oil SAE 5W-30, 10W-30 and 15W-50
1992
Formulation of first SAE 0W-60 motor oil in Germany
1992
Valvoline introduces synthetic motor oil
SAE 5W-30, 10W-30 and 20W-50
1992
CASTROL introduces Syntec SAE 5W-50 motor oil based on PAO
1993
Texaco introduces Havoline Synthetic motor oil SAE 5W-40
1993
Pennzoil introduces Performax synthetic motor oil SAE 5W-50
1993
Sunoco introduces DynaTech synthetic engine oils SAE 20W-50 and 5W-40
1993
Sta-Lube launches marketing of synthetic gear oils and synthetic industrial grease
1994
Pep Boys starts selling synthetic motor oil under their own brand name
SAE 5W-30, 10W-30 and 20W-50
1994
Petrolon introduces synthetic motor oil under Slick 50 brand name
1994
Synthoil starts marketing of SAE 10W-30 synthetic motor oil
1992
CASTROL reformulates Syntec motor oils with API Group III (petroleum) base stock from Shell
1996
SynLube introduces SynLube™ Lube-4-Life ®
"The FIRST oil you do NOT change" !
1999
Mobil introduces Mobil 1 "Tri-synthetic" version of their motor oil
1999
NAD rules that hydroisomerized base oils (Group III) can be classified as "synthetic oils"
1999
Exxon and Mobil merges to ExxonMobil.
2000
Mobil 1 introduces Synthetic-Blend motor oil
2002
Mobil 1 introduces Synthetic motor oil with SuperSyn.
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