| abstract |
Conditions selected for lubricant base oil production can be used to also produce a high quality diesel product. The diesel product can have a cetane index or cetane number of at least 55, corresponding to a high value diesel fuel. The diesel product can also have good cold flow properties, such as a pour point of -40°C or less and/or a cloud point of -25°C or less. Additionally, the sulfur content of the diesel product can be low, such as less than 1 wppm. This can allow the diesel product to be blended with other potential diesel boiling range products that have a higher sulfur content while still meeting an overall diesel fuel specification. The aromatics content can also be low, allowing the premium diesel to comply with various regulatory requirements. This combination of properties results in an diesel fuel suitable for use in wide range of environments, or alternatively a diesel fraction that can be blended with an inferior diesel fraction to generate a fuel meeting a desired specification. |