Debanjali Sengupta, County Head for Shell, takes us through Shell’s novel oils and lubricants, saying, “With the latest Shell Advance Fuel Save, we put fuel efficiency and hence lower emissions at the centre of our sustainability drive.”

What are the emerging technological developments in oils and lubricants for the construction and mining industries?

The market for construction and mining oils and lubricants is constantly evolving to meet diverse needs such as increasing engine shelf life, reducing carbon footprints, improving fuel economy, supplying low-viscosity mining lubricants, and meeting changing emission standards set by various governmental and non-governmental entities.

Using AI for predictive maintenance: AI and data science are increasingly used in the mining and construction industries to solve complex problems in upstream, midstream, and downstream operations. With insights from predictive, prescriptive, and cognitive analytics, AI-enabled platforms aid decision-making.

Fluid reliability solutions: the absence of proper treatment of lubricants can significantly impact the cost of operation and maintenance and increase downtime due to unwanted failures. Shell LubeOptimiser is Shell’s latest fluid reliability solution, designed to simplify operations, reduce downtime, and protect equipment.

Waste or used oil management: This growing initiative has recently gained visibility to organise India’s waste oil disposal system and increase the re-refining rate. It also aims to achieve circular economy goals while reducing waste. Shell has also recently launched a used oil management service that is part of Shell’s overall commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

According to several research reports and surveys conducted in the past, other emerging technology trends in the oil and lubricants industry include:

• Growing usage of synthetic oils.
• A shift towards thinner oils.
• A constant need for technological updates.

What’s new from Shell for the Indian market?

We are proud of our diverse and technologically superior product portfolio, which aims to reduce emissions and deliver substantial savings by helping maximise equipment efficiency, prolong engine life, and minimise downtime. Some of the latest solutions include:

• Reliability solutions:

• • Shell LubeOptimiser (fluid reliability solutions)
  • Shell LubeAnalyst (oil analysis solution)
  • Shell LubeExpert (equipment inspections and monitoring)

• Sensor-based digital solutions:

• • MachineMax (equipment telematics)
  • Shell Remote Sense (live oil condition monitoring)

• Alternative energy and sustainability solutions:

• • Used oil management: responsible disposal of oil waste
  • Solar energy solutions; to lower energy bills and carbon footprints.
  • LNG: LNG fuel supply to customers

• Our recently launched Shell Advance Fuel Save is expertly created for the Indian market to enhance fuel economy and deliver monetary savings. For daily riders who log more running hours and distance on the road, the product saves approximately ₹2500 per year. Consumers can ride an additional five kilometres per litre on the same amount of fuel and minimise their running costs.
• Shell Omala S5 Wind is a new generation synthetic oil for all wind turbine generations that provides improved reliability and oil life.

How can your solutions provide a cost-effective advantage in the market?

Due to equipment wear and tear, many industrial ventures are battling with the problem of an increased total cost of ownership (TCO). Therefore, TCO is one of the most important metrics to be addressed to enhance efficiency and savings. Lubricants are crucial to achieving significant business value by helping reduce costs, improving equipment productivity, and unlocking TCO savings hinges on selecting the right product and ensuring that it is appropriately managed. Therefore, we go beyond simply selling Shell Lubricant products and services at Shell and provide a collaborative, customer-centred service. Our focus is to support our partners in reducing their total cost of ownership (TCO). Here are some of our products that ensure the same:

Shell Rimula R5 LE engine oil is a carbon-neutral product that offers more than 1 percent fuel savings with extended oil drain intervals.

Shell Gadus S3 V460D-2 heavy-duty grease has demonstrated savings of over 30 crores, optimised grease consumption, and increased grease and component life.

Shell LubeAnalyst is the market-leading oil condition monitoring service for industrial and marine customers. It gives you fresh insights into asset and lubricant performance that can help you keep your equipment running smoothly and reduce the total cost of your operations.

MachineMax helps companies maximise the profitability and efficiency of their off-highway fleets using smart sensors and next-generation analytics.

Shell LubeOptimiser is Shell’s latest fluid reliability solution, designed to simplify operations, reduce downtime, and protect equipment.

How do you address the carbon footprint challenges?

We are focused on launching high-performance, energy-efficient lubricants that improve fuel economy and reduce the total carbon footprint. Additionally, we are adding more carbon-compensated products like Rimula R5 LE, Helix Ultra 5W-40, and Omala S5 Wind to our portfolio. With the Shell Advance Fuel Save launch recently, we put fuel economy and, thus, lower emissions at the centre of our sustainability agenda. We also continue to expand our synthetic portfolio to offer the highest quality products with lower emissions. Other such initiatives include:

Used oil collection: We have partnered with used oil re-refiners to initiate the collection and re-refining of used oil on a pan-India basis. These partners share the vision of driving a circular economy for the lubricants industry.

Solar energy solutions: Through Shell venture companies, we provide rooftop, captive solar power solutions to our customers, allowing them to reduce their electricity bills and use clean energy while meeting their sustainability goals.

Sustainable packaging: We have made significant changes to ensure sustainability. Following government notification, we have adopted PCR in our bottles (30 percent in our dark-coloured bottles), bottle weight reduction, low-weight cartons, and bulk dispensing to replace single-use.

For more details visit: https://www.shell.in/