0K bbl / day
Base oil capacityHYDROCRACKED BASE OIL
GS CALTEX BUSINESS — CHAPTER 05
30,000 barrels a day, over 70% shipped worldwide —
the fifth chapter: from the heaviest oil to the clearest.
GS Caltex produces high-quality base oil from unconverted oil (UCO) generated by the refinery's upgrading process. Built on a two-stage hydrocracking process, we flexibly produce Group II and Group III products, exporting more than 70% of what we produce.
ORIGIN
Base oil is the main raw material in a wide range of lubricant products, from engine oil to industrial fluids. Blended with additives suited to the use and required performance, it becomes a finished automotive, industrial or other lubricant.
Base oils are graded by their refining level, viscosity index and other properties. GS Caltex produces high-quality Group II and Group III base oils, supplying them at home and abroad under the Kixx LUBO brand.
01 — FEEDSTOCK
Base oil production starts with unconverted oil (UCO) — the portion the hydrocracker (HCR) does not fully convert into light products. This unconverted oil is fed into the base oil plant (BOP) for further refining.
01 — HYDROCRACKING
Unconverted oil is reacted with hydrogen to remove impurities and convert it into components suited for base oil. GS Caltex's two-stage hydrocracking process lets it flexibly produce high-quality Group II and Group III base oil.
01 — ISO-DEWAXING
The molecular structure of wax components that tend to stiffen at low temperature is altered so the oil keeps flowing smoothly even in the cold. This step improves low-temperature and viscosity properties, securing the performance a high-quality base oil requires.
01 — HYDROFINISHING
A finishing treatment with hydrogen removes remaining impurities and improves the product's stability and quality. After passing through each process, the base oil is produced in a range of grades and viscosities depending on quality and characteristics.
30K BBL / DAY · KIXX LUBO02 — CAPACITY
Base oil capacityHYDROCRACKED BASE OIL
Share of output exportedASIA-PACIFIC & BEYOND
A highly refined product with low impurity content and excellent performance, used as feedstock for automotive, industrial and marine lubricants.
A high-quality product with a high viscosity index that holds a stable viscosity across temperature changes — used as feedstock for premium automotive engine oils and high-performance industrial lubricants.
Beyond Group II and III base oils, we are expanding our portfolio into products that demand higher purity and specialized performance. White oil is a highly refined, colorless, odorless oil used in industries requiring high purity, while process oil improves processability and physical properties in rubber and tire manufacturing.
03 — HISTORY
GS Caltex began producing base oil at the Yeosu complex in November 2007, at 16,000 barrels a day. Ongoing upgrades and expansions have since brought capacity to 30,000 barrels a day, with more than 70% of output exported worldwide.
04 — INTO EVERYDAY LIFE
Blend GS Caltex's high-quality base oil with additives suited to the use and required performance, and a wide range of automotive and industrial lubricants come to life. The next chapter follows the lubricants business, which supplies a broad product line built on our own base oil and accumulated technology.