Marine fleet lowers maintenance costs and oil consumption with Mobil Delvac™ 1640

LOOKING CLOSER

Polarcus | Wärtsilä 26 engine

Moving to Mobil Delvac™ 1640 engine oil enabled offshore exploration company Polarcus to counter engine lacquering and deposit build-up caused by the use of an industry-standard lubricant. This resulted in lower maintenance costs, improved productivity and a reduction in oil consumption by more than a quarter.

Situation

Polarcus uncovered engine problems across its fleet of seismic survey vessels. Engine crankcases were covered in deposits, while the sump-level sensor on one vessel was blocked and damaged. Engineers had difficulty removing residues, and several heaters burnt out due to reduced or blocked flow and rapid temperature increases. The deposits were damaging mechanical components, producing increased engine wear and maintenance costs. The cause was identified as an inadequate engine oil.

Recommendation

ExxonMobil engineers advised that the fleet would benefit from a higher-quality engine oil with good detergency and dispersant qualities, and recommended a move to Mobil Delvac 1640 engine oil. This high-performance monograde diesel engine oil is formulated to minimize oil thickening while protecting against high-temperature deposits, sludge buildup, oil degradation and corrosion. Engineers changed over the engine oil on one vessel, which produced positive results. The company therefore rolled out a change to Mobil Delvac 1640 oil across its entire fleet.

Impact

Mobil Delvac 1640 oil reduced buildup in lacquering, sludge and carbon deposits, and also gradually cleaned existing deposits across engine components. Cleaning and maintenance time and costs have dramatically reduced since the changeover, with simple checks highlighting no new deposits or damage. With the resolution of these issues, Polarcus has been able to keep vessels running, avoiding further maintenance downtime and potential operating losses. Polarcus also has lowered engine oil consumption dramatically.

Based on the experience of a single customer. Actual results can vary depending upon the type of equipment used and its maintenance, operating conditions and environment, and any prior lubricant used.