Base stocks having Group III/III+ characteristics are prepared from certain advantageous crude oils via simplified process configurations and/or under less severe process conditions. Crude oils comprising a vacuum gas oil (VGO) fraction having a ratio of a sum of paraffin content plus 1-Ring species content to multi-ring species content that is greater than or equal to about 1.5 are advantageous in this context. Other parameters such as API gravity and crude compositional ranges may also be considered for identifying advantageous crudes. In some instances, advantageous crudes are processed into Group III base stocks via a process configuration in which the crude oil is directly supplied to a hydroprocessing unit.

Provided herein are hydrocarbon mixtures with controlled structure characteristics that address the performance requirements for finished lubricants driven by the stricter environmental and fuel economy regulations. The branching characteristics of the hydrocarbon molecules are controlled to provide a composition that has a unique and superior viscosity-temperature relationship and Noack volatility. An important aspect of the present invention relates to a saturated hydrocarbon mixture with at least 80% of the molecules having an even carbon number, with the branching characteristic of BP/BI in the range 0.6037 (Internal alkyl branching)+2.0, where on average at least 0.3 to 1.5 of the internal methyl branches are located more than 4 carbons away from the terminal carbon when analyzed by carbon NMR. The saturated hydrocarbon mixture with such unique branching structure consistently exhibits a stand out performance in the cold crank simulated viscosity (CCS) vs Noack volatility relationship, which allows for the formulation of lower viscosity engine oils with improved fuel economies.

An improved process for making a heavy base oil from a base oil feedstream comprising an atmospheric resid feedstock, and, optionally, a base oil feedstock, via hydroprocessing. The process generally involves subjecting a base oil feedstream comprising the atmospheric resid to hydrocracking and dewaxing steps, and optionally to hydrofinishing, to produce base oil product(s) including a heavy grade base oil product having a viscosity of at least about 12.7 cSt at 100? C. The invention is useful to make heavy grade base oil products, as well as Group II and/or Group III/III+ base oils.

A lubricant composition improves a performance of reducing a formation of compressor deposit. The lubricant composition also ensures low temperature properties of the lubricant composition. The lubricant composition includes 14 mass % or more of a fraction having a boiling point of 500 C. to 550 C. and 5 mass % or more of a fraction having a boiling point of over 550 C.

A system for producing an American Petroleum Institute Standards Group III Base Stock from vacuum gas oil, by injecting hydrogen, heating, saturating the mixture through hydrogen reactors connected in series with a liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV).sup.1 of from 0.5 to 2.5, forming a saturated heated base oil, and coproduct. The system fractionates the saturated heated base oil to while simultaneously refluxing a cooled fuel oil fraction forming an American Petroleum Institute Standards Group III Base Stock with less than 0.03% sulfur, with greater than 90% saturates and a viscosity index greater than 120 as defined by ASTM D-2270, a viscosity from 2 to 10 centistokes as defined by ASTM D-445 a boiling range from 600 degrees F. to 1050 degrees F., and a cold crank viscosity (CCS) between 1200 and 5000 centipoise at 25 degrees C. and as defined by ASTM D-5293.

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 <0.2 and the C14 dimer has an average branching ratio of >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 C. and 455 C., and the resulting base oil has a kinematic viscosity of about 3.3 to 4.7 cSt at 100 C.

The invention is the use, in an electric vehicle, of a fluid having a boiling point in the range of from 200 C. to 400 C. and a boiling range below 80 C., said fluid comprising more than 95% by weight isoparaffins and less than 3% by weight of naphthens, a biocarbon content of at least 95% by weight, containing less than 100 ppm by weight aromatics.

The invention is a fluid having a kinematic viscosity from 3 to 6 mm.sup.2/s, a flash point of higher than 120? C. and a pour point lower than ?40? C., having a boiling point in the range of from 200? C. to 400? C. and a boiling range below 80? C., said fluid comprising more than 95% isoparaffins and less than 3% of naphthens by weight, a biocarbon content of at least 95% by weight, containing less than 100 ppm aromatics by weight. The invention is also a drilling fluid and the use of the fluid to improve the viscosity of the drilling fluid.

A system for producing an American Petroleum Institute Standards Group III Base Stock from vacuum gas oil, by injecting hydrogen, heating, saturating the mixture through hydrogen reactors connected in series with a liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV).sup.1 of from 0.5 to 2.5, forming a saturated heated base oil, and coproduct. The system fractionates the saturated heated base oil to while simultaneously refluxing a cooled fuel oil fraction forming an American Petroleum Institute Standards Group III Base Stock with less than 0.03% sulfur, with greater than 90% saturates and a viscosity index greater than 120 as defined by ASTM D-2270, a viscosity from 2 to 10 centistokes as defined by ASTM D-445 a boiling range from 600 degrees F. to 1050 degrees F., and a cold crank viscosity (CCS) between 1200 and 5000 centipoise at 25 degrees C. and as defined by ASTM D-5293.

A method for producing an American Petroleum Institute Standards Group III Base Stock from vacuum gas oil, by injecting hydrogen, heating, saturating the mixture through hydrogen reactors connected in series with a liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV).sup.1 from 0.5 to 2.5, forming a saturated heated base oil, and coproduct. The method fractionates the saturated heated base oil while simultaneously refluxing a cooled light oil fraction forming an American Petroleum Institute Standards Group III Base Stock with less than 0.03% sulfur, with greater than 90% saturates and a viscosity index greater than 120 as defined by ASTM D-2270, a viscosity from 2 to 10 centistokes as defined by ASTM D-445 a boiling point range from 600 degrees F. to 1050 degrees F. as defined by ASTM D-86, and a cold crank viscosity (CCS) between 1200 and 5000 centipoise at minus 25 degrees C. and as defined by ASTM D-5293.