Understanding the Base Stock Market - An In-depth Look with Jack Zakarian In this podcast episode, we hear from industry expert Jack Zakarian who spent over 37 years with Chevron. The episode covers the foundation of base stocks focusing on terms like neutral, solvent neutral, bright stock, and their correlation to API based stock groups. Jack also discusses the evolution of the base oil industry explaining the shift from group 1 towards group 2 & 3 processes, the advantages of these processes, the reasons behind the decline in group 1, as well as its impact. The future of the base stock market with implications of electric vehicles and the role of regulatory interventions is also touched upon elaborately. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:40 Understanding API Base Oil Groups 01:08 Defining Terms: Neutral, Solvent Neutral, Bright Stock 02:52 The Process of Making Brightstock 04:15 Challenges in Manufacturing Brightstock 10:07 The Shift from Group 1 to Group 2 Base Oils 17:22 Flexibility and Limitations in Plant Design 19:46 Understanding Base Oils as Commodities 21:25 Working with Different Types of Oils 21:46 The Advantages of Group 2 Oils 22:12 Differences in Group 3 Oils 23:35 The Impact of Group 1 Disappearing from the Market 24:12 The Role of Brightstock in Viscosity 27:20 The Future of the Base Stock Market 29:23 The Impact of Electric Vehicles on the Lubricant Market 31:25 The Role of Regulation in the Shift to Electric Vehicles 34:48 Closing Remarks and Future Predictions https://lubrication.expert