Gas Compression
Process & Hydrocarbon Gas Compression
Gas compressors in process and hydrocarbon service operate across a wide range of gas streams, compressor types, and operating conditions. Lubricant requirements vary with gas composition, dilution behavior, temperature profile, and compressor duty.
NEXT Lubricants supplies gas compressor lubricants for hydrocarbon, process, and industrial gas applications, formulated for the operating environments and service conditions each duty imposes.
How NEXT Selects a Gas Compressor Lubricant
At operating pressure, part of the gas stream dissolves into the lubricant, reducing its viscosity. The compressor then runs on this diluted mixture, not the grade originally added to the sump. Three factors determine the amount of dissolved gas: gas composition, pressure, and lubricant temperature. Heavier hydrocarbons dissolve more readily, higher pressure forces more gas into solution, and cooler lubricant retains more of it.
Base stock chemistry is the key countermeasure. Hydrocarbon uptake decreases from mineral and polyalphaolefin (PAO) base stocks, through the polyalkylene glycol (PAG) family, to polyethylene glycol (PEG). NEXT calculates dissolved gas and in-service viscosity for the specific stream at the actual operating point, and recommends a product and grade with the reasoning shown.
See the measured dilution data, chemistry by chemistryApplications
Process & Hydrocarbon Gas Compression Applications
NEXT Lubricants supports the main gas compressor application segments, each with it’s own compressor technology and lubrication demands.
Natural Gas & Hydrocarbon
Natural Gas Gathering
Lubricants for compressors moving raw, wet and variable-composition natural gas from wellheads through gathering systems, field boosters and central facilities.
Sour Gas Compression
Lubricants for compressors handling natural gas and process streams containing H₂S, CO₂, moisture and other corrosive or reactive contaminants.
Natural Gas Processing & NGL
Lubricants for feed, residue and refrigeration compressors used in natural-gas processing, NGL recovery, hydrocarbon dew-point control and fractionation.
Biogas Compression
Lubricants for raw-biogas, biomethane-upgrading and CO₂-recovery compressors exposed to methane, moisture, H₂S, siloxanes and changing gas composition.
Natural Gas Transmission & Storage
Lubricants for pipeline transmission, booster and underground-storage compressors handling processed natural gas during transport, injection and withdrawal.
LNG Plants
Lubricants for LNG refrigeration, boil-off gas, flash gas and terminal compressors operating across liquefaction, storage and regasification facilities.
Vapor Recovery Units
Lubricants for compressors recovering low-pressure hydrocarbon vapors from storage tanks, tank batteries, flash gas systems and loading operations.
CO₂ & Gas Injection
CO₂ Compression
Lubricants for compressors used in industrial CO₂ recovery, purification, liquefaction, supply and purity-sensitive process applications.
Enhanced Oil Recovery & Gas Injection
Lubricants for high-pressure compressors used in CO₂ enhanced oil recovery, miscible-gas injection and reservoir pressure-maintenance applications.
Carbon Capture & CCUS
Lubricants for compressors handling captured CO₂ during compression, conditioning, pipeline transport and permanent geological storage.
Process & Specialty Gas
Petrochemical Gas Compression
Lubricants for compressors handling cracked gas, recycle gas and hydrocarbon-rich or reactive process streams in petrochemical plants.
Ammonia & Urea Production
Lubricants for synthesis-gas, ammonia, CO₂ and refrigeration compressors operating throughout ammonia and urea production plants.
Industrial & Specialty Gas
Lubricants for compressors producing, processing and transferring nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, argon and other industrial or specialty gases.
NEXT GPL PAG
Light to medium hydrocarbon compression, hydrocarbon refrigeration, heat pumps
Base Oil: PAG
ISO Range: 32 – 680
NEXT GPL PAG-WS
Medium to heavy hydrocarbon, high-pressure service, high-temperature heat pumps
Base Oil: PAG-WS
ISO Range: 32 – 460
NEXT GPL PAG-EO
Medium to heavy hydrocarbon where dissolved gas would end the lubricant
Base Oil: PEG
ISO Range: 32 – 220
NEXT GPL PAO
Light to medium hydrocarbon, sour gas, biogas, CO₂, inert, LNG boil-off
Base Oil: PAO
ISO Range: 32 – 320
NEXT GPL PAO-FG
CO₂ and gas compression with incidental food contact
Base Oil: PAO
ISO Range: 32 – 320
NEXT GPL MIN
Treated, lean gas streams at lower severity
Base Oil: Mineral
ISO Range: 32 – 680
EXPERTISE & CAPABILITY
NEXT Lubricants Experience in Process & Hydrocarbon Gas Compression
NEXT Lubricants combines application knowledge in gas compression with a product portfolio developed for hydrocarbon, process, and mixed-gas environments. NEXT supports operators with lubricant selection based on gas composition, cross-reference against incumbent products, and technical documentation for qualification and maintenance planning.
Experience includes:
- Lubricant selection engineered from gas composition, compressor type, and operating conditions.
- PVT-based dilution analysis quantifying dissolved gas and in-service viscosity at the actual operating point.
- Cross-reference capability offering OEM-approved compressor lubricants.
- An application-specific product range spanning mineral, PAO, PAG, and PEG base stock chemistries.
- Fluid analysis review and changeover planning for lubricant transitions in running systems.
- Technical guidance and documentation supporting product qualification, maintenance planning, and long-term reliability.
Recommendation
Need Help Selecting a Gas Compressor Lubricant?
NEXT Lubricants provides technical lubricant recommendations for compressor applications across multiple indistries.