Rack and pinion gearing on the legs of jack-up drilling rigs where the lubricant is deliberately placed in contact with the marine environment. Other open gearing in exposed locations where there is a risk of lubricant egress to the marine environment, such as anchor winches or other deck machinery.
Castrol BioTac OG environmentally responsible open gear lubricant has been formulated to provide the following key benefits:
†PLONOR – Pose Little or No Risk to the Environment (OSPAR definition)
** As specified in the NPDES permit GMG29000 for subsea production control fluids
Castrol BioTac OG has been specifically formulated to minimise impact upon the marine environment. All the components of Castrol BioTac OG have been selected for their low environmental impact, either from the PLONOR* list of chemicals or following a thorough assessment of their biodegradability, potential for bioaccumulation and their toxicity towards marine species. As a result, Castrol BioTac OG is OSPAR compliant and contains no substitutable components. However this would count for little if its performance as a lubricant was inferior to those used greases which are currently used on leg racks – any performance deficiencies would prevent its adoption or result in a higher consumption, negating its environmental benefits.
We have used the performance characteristics of the best available traditional lubricants as the specification for Castrol BioTac OG and have matched these using new additive technologies. The unique thickener structure is highly resistant to water washing and provides outstanding corrosion protection, ensuring that the volumes of lubricant introduced into the environment are similar to those with traditional products.
*PLONOR – Pose Little Or No Risk to the Environment (according to the OSPAR definition).