ILMA Compoundings August 2018 - 12

INDUSTRY RUNDOWN

US Department of Defense
Considering a Move to
Bio-Based Engine Oils
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), in partnership with
the Air Force Research Laboratory, is currently testing
and validating bio-based synthetic engine oil in nontactical federal vehicles. These tests are part of the DLA
Aviation Hazardous Minimization (HAZMIN) and Green
Products program.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) uses just over
1 million gallons of four-cycle engine oil annually in
180,000 vehicles. While part of the DLA mission is to help
its military customers "buy green," a report on the DoD
website indicates that if testing and evaluation show that
bio-based oil is comparable to, or better than, conventional
oil, the impact could be even bigger. A positive outcome
could lead to a complete conversion to bio-based synthetic
oil in the federal government's fleet of non-tactical vehicles. The entire federal government - including military
services, civilian agencies and the U.S. Postal Service -
maintains 633,000 vehicles.
The engine oil testing is taking place at military facilities
and federal agencies in diverse climate regions around the
country to determine how different environmental conditions affect the oils. The products selected for the test come

AUGUST 2018

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from three U.S. manufacturers of bio-based synthetic engine
oil: b2 biOil (Loch Sciences) and ILMA members Biosynthetic Technologies and BioBlend Renewable Resources.
Andy Shaban, DLA Aviation program manager, said that
some tests would be based on mileage while others would
be time-based. Tests will include long idling sessions as well
as driving. Once a certain mileage or time frame is reached,
the oil is removed and sent to a lab for testing. That mileage
number and the time frame are based on conventional oil
requirements for comparison. The testing period is expected
to last 12-18 months and conclude sometime in 2019.
One test site selected by the DLA is NASA's Armstrong
Flight Research Center in California. Jason Denman, auto
shop lead at Armstrong, explained in a NASA report that
every six months, half-pint samples would be collected and
analyzed for metal flakes and particulates, carbon content
and breakdown of the additives, which will give researchers
an indication of how long the oil will last in actual use and
engine wear.
The DLA HAZMIN and Green Products program supports the overall DoD Sustainability Policy issued in 2010.
The DoD defines sustainability as "the capacity to continue
the mission without compromise. It is the ability to operate
into the future without decline - either in the mission or
the natural and man-made systems that support it." The
DLA Aviation team provides technical assistance and logistics guidance to its military service customers concerning
pollution prevention programs, green products and overall
sustainability issues.
The pressure to convert comes in the form of DoD
sustainable procurement directives, Federal Acquisition
regulations and laws such as the Farm Security and Rural
Investment Act of 2002, which stresses the need for the
government to procure and use bio-based products.
The DLA said that a successful outcome will be good
news for farmers, as it will expand the market for domestically produced agricultural products while reducing
the nation's carbon footprint and dependency on foreign
petroleum. However, a successful outcome will also be good
news for bio-based lubricant manufacturers.

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ILMA Compoundings August 2018

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