Re-Refined Base Oil Standards: What GB/T 17145, T/CRRA 0901 and API Groups Actually Cover
Chinese re-refined base oil is governed by a recycling guideline, a product standard and a set of test methods. Quotations often cite one as evidence for another; each covers a different requirement.
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GB/T 17145-2024 Governs the Process
GB/T 17145-2024, Guidelines for recycling of used mineral oil, was published and implemented on 28 November 2024, replacing the 1997 version. It covers collection, storage, transport and utilization of used mineral oil.
It does not assign a base oil grade. A compliant plant can still produce oil outside a buyer's specification, and a quotation citing GB/T 17145 as product evidence has no grade behind it.
T/CRRA 0901 Governs the Product
T/CRRA 0901, Regenerated base oil, is the group standard for base oil produced from used mineral oil in China. The first edition was published in 2018 and later revisions exist. It defines grades, viscosity designations such as R75SN, and quality levels.
"Meets T/CRRA 0901" is not a specification. Ask for the edition, grade, viscosity designation and laboratory result, and check them against the sample.
API Groups Describe Composition
| API group | Sulfur | Saturates | Viscosity index |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group I | > 0.03% | < 90% | 80–120 |
| Group II | ≤ 0.03% | ≥ 90% | 80–120 |
| Group III | ≤ 0.03% | ≥ 90% | ≥ 120 |
The groups describe sulfur, saturates and viscosity index, not oxidation stability, volatility or additive response. Two oils in the same group can behave differently in a finished lubricant. A group claim needs laboratory data on the product: vacuum distillation separates fractions but does not set sulfur or saturates. See re-refined base oil quality.
The GB 17144-2026 Claim
Chinese search results cite "GB 17144-2026, Regenerated Mineral Lubricating Base Oil" with a sulfur limit attached. GB/T 17144 is the test method for carbon residue by the micro method. It contains no base oil product grades; the number is genuine, the title is not.
Check the number, title, status and publication date on the national standards platform before citing it in a contract.
What to Put in the Specification
| Property | Method | Limit to agree |
|---|---|---|
| Kinematic viscosity at 40 °C and 100 °C | GB/T 265 / ASTM D445 | Viscosity grade and tolerance |
| Viscosity index | GB/T 1995 / ASTM D2270 | Minimum for the claimed group |
| Flash point | GB/T 3536 / ASTM D93 | Minimum, open cup |
| Pour point | GB/T 3535 / ASTM D97 | Maximum |
| Sulfur | GB/T 17040 / ASTM D4294 | Maximum if a group is claimed |
| Color | GB/T 6540 / ASTM D1500 | Maximum ASTM color |
| Water and mechanical impurities | GB/T 260, GB/T 511 | Maximum content |
| Carbon residue | GB/T 17144 (micro) | Maximum |
Add two clauses: which sample is tested, when and by whom; and which laboratory, with an arbitration method if buyer and supplier disagree. The specification only holds if the feed basis is defined; see used oil testing before re-refining.
Equipment scope is covered in used oil re-refining base oil equipment and turnkey used oil re-refining plant; supplier comparison in waste oil recycling plant supplier.
Checking a Re-Refined Base Oil Specification?
Send the specification, the feedstock basis and the product target. We will mark which clauses are measurable and where the wording allows two different readings.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is GB/T 17145-2024 a product standard?
No. It covers collection, storage, transport and utilization of used mineral oil. It does not assign a base oil grade.
Is GB 17144-2026 a base oil standard?
No. GB/T 17144 is a test method for carbon residue by the micro method.
Can distillation alone produce Group II base oil?
Distillation separates fractions. Sulfur and saturates depend on the feedstock and the finishing route, and the group has to be confirmed by testing the product.
