Çetin Kayam has nearly 50 years of experience in the lubricants sector. He not only has made significant contributions to the sector, but also led the way for various developments. In this short interview, we tried our best to give as much information as possible to our readers. There is a lot to learn from him.
Obviously a great number of people in the lubricants industry know you well; but we would like to hear it from you. Can you please introduce yourself to our readers?
I was born in 1947. I graduated from METU Department of Chemical Engineering in 1972, and received my Master’s degree from the same department in 1976 with a thesis titled “Physical Properties Correlation Base Stocks Wrt VGC and Mixing Factor”. My Master’s thesis was published in the Petroleum Refining Development Journal of US in June 1976. I participated in many seminars and training programs in this field. Among them, I attended Texaco’s tests, seminars and training programs organized between 1980 and 1983 in Belgium, and Texaco’s Germany programs between 1984 and 1986. I took part in the Germany Mannheim University Lubricant Symposium in 1988. I attended the meetings held in Germany, Italy and France in 1989 with Rhein-Chemie and Fuchs companies to carry out the preliminary studies and application areas for manufacturing patented special industrial oils, greases and compounds in Turkey. I went to Hungary in 1990 on behalf of TurkStat to attend the draft studies of ISO Norms for lubricants (ISO-TC-28 Petroleum Products and Lubricants). In addition, I attended the seminars organized by Texaco officials on lubricant test methods, blending techniques, Bell and Sharp formulas, determination and control of functional metal amount of additives, importance of sulphated ash and TBN’s in engine oil design, grease manufacturing techniques, soap ratio-penetration, and stabilization fiber links. I also participated to Rohm’s seminars regarding VI improver types functions, thickening factors, Shear Stability Indexes, low temperature performance, high temperature performance, and Dispersant VIs. I received training on Statistic Techniques
Quality System Documentation, Assessment, and Calibration provided by TurkStat and National Productivity Center staff as required by TS ISO 9001. I obtained certificates from the Chamber of Machine Engineers on active group work, applied calibration techniques, statistical techniques, and quality costs.
After your undergraduate and graduate education, how did your career start?
I started my career as Managing Engineer for the Lubricant and Fuel Department at a private laboratory in 1972. I left for my military duty in 1976 while I was working as the Principal Engineer. I came back to my office after 4 months. After reading my thesis, Mrs. Ayla Akovalı, Head of the Lubricant Department, reached me through my friend working at Petrol Ofisi as a Director and invited me to Petrol Ofisi. I was transferred to Petrol Ofisi İzmir Lubricant and Grease Facilities as Laboratory Manager in 1978. After serving as Regional Deputy Manager for Lubricants for 1 year, I became the Operations Manager and Chairman of the Examination Commission at İzmir Regional Directorate in 1990. I was appointed as the Quality System Manager in 1995, and established the system after participating to required seminars. I received ISO certificate and worked here until 2000. I retired in 2000 and started working in Ankara for a private company I visited all refineries in Romania and Ukraine to examine naphthenic oil processing. In 2001, I carried out technical and feasibility studies with a Greek company to establish a recyclingplant in Turkey. In all Ukrainian refineries working with the Gost norm, I examined the dewaxing units working by Urea Complex and/or MEK-Propane method. For one year in 2003, I nworked in Cebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, which was established with the US Interline patent in 2002 and working on recycling and base oil manufacturing from fuel oil (Propane Deasphalting, nVacuum distillation, acid treatment and clay treatment). I worked in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan for one year in 2004 to participate in state tenders for crude oil, fuel oil and white product procurement from Turkmenbashi and Seidi Refineries. I completed the modernization works of Azerbaijan Dübendi Carloading Terminal and 3 cargo handling ports, rehabilitation and modernization of pipelines, pumps and manifold fields, taking necessary actions to receive the Quality Standard of BP, Contractor of Baku Ceyhan Pipeline. I spent two years in Baku for obtaining TS ISO 9001 and OSAS Certificates. I produced virgin oil named I-8A with 1.5 color from the Azerneft yağ Refinery 2s I-8V oil with 3.5 color, which did not have any economic value. I used this to produce transformer oil. I produced diesel oil from catalytic crack distillate of Turkmenbashi Refinery. I established ta lubricant plant in Ankara Elmadağ, and a lubricant and grease plant in Iraq Zaho. I developed manufacturing and marketing techniques. I provided consultancy for the manufacturing of grease in Toros Kimya-Konya and Ankara Lubricant Plants. I wrote capacity reports of approximately 20 companies. I prepared TSE and ISO norms and other manufacturingand laboratory documents, and received TS Certificate of Competency. I prepared the base oil standard at TSE while I was employed as the Reporter of TSE Petrol Preparation Group. I either prepared new standards or revised existing standards for many other important fields. I established the Lubricant Working Group with 15 Petrol Ofisi personnel in 2012. We warned relevant institutions about problematic areas. Under my Chairmanship, we held the first International Symposium and Exhibition in Turkey in November 2013.
What has changed throughout your experience in this industry?
POAŞ was the industry leader with its 47 percent market share. It was meeting all the demand of the Ministry of National Defense and other government agencies with its production and imports. It also assumed arbitration role in any discrepancies in the sector. It took active role in the quality control and customs clearance processes of imported lubricants. Petrol Ofisi prepared lubrication guides, organized seminars for customers and personnel, and contributed to raising lubricant awareness. However, after its privatization, most of the qualified personneleither got retired or left the company. Profit maximization became a primary objective in operations. Very high SCT was applied for the products obtained for lubricant manufacturing while the SCT rate was very low for inputs to patent manufacturing, unfair profits, unfair ncompetition, quality degradation, fire, explosion etc. caused various problems. Lubricant manufacturers and additive selling companies began to lose their competitive ability due to high SCT rates. As a result of revised base oil specifications, the sulphur level was lowered to a great extent, which causes the lubrication (filming) feature in engine and industrial oils to be lost. Diesel engine oil can not be produced because synthetic oils,which are very expensive, do not have lubricating and dispersant properties. It is now very difficult to produce quality engine oil.
You have made significant contribution to this industry with your works and books. Can you please tell us about your contributions?
I established the most modern laboratory of the Middle East and the Balkans. Besides, I established a R&D laboratory to carry out formulation studies and field studies for lubricants and greases which were imported for the Ministry of National Defense and all other public and private institutions, and managed to nationally manufacture approximately one hundred
products with lower costs and higher performance. I separated package additives into components. I searched for ways to substitute the components in Turkey. As a result of such efforts, I can list some of my achievements in terms of national production as below:
Open system gear oils used by the Ministry of National Defense, Turkish State Railways (TCDD) and cement plants, 10924C grease used for cannonball, VV-L 800A oil used for gun protection, and Hydraulic Safety Fluid 32 PEG series lubricants used in iron and steel plants began to be manufactured in Turkey, which saved the country from making thousand tons of imports in this category.
Aluminum cold rolling oil (Sementor 34) was manufactured via atmospheric distillation of diesel oil and the Tüpraş Refinery started to manufacture cold rolling oil.
Paraffinic, naphthenic, aromatic process oils were manufactured.
Soap-free grease was manufactured and Termateks EP-1 and Termateks EP-2 greases were nationally produced.
While I was working in MEPF Azerbaijan, I produced diesel oil that comply with the standards from the catalytic cracked gas oil and stove fuel obtained from the Turkmenbashi Refinery. I manufactured Light Turbine Oil from Light Neutral, and Pale 70 with -60 oC pour point (N-70). I manufactured flange oil with lower costs and higher performance for the use of TCDD.
In addition, I have authored a number of books to share my knowledge and experience. I published Katı Yakıtlar (Solid Fuels) in 1978, Metal İşleme Sistemleri ve Sıvıları (Metalworking Systems and Fluids) in 2000, Madeni Yağ Üretim Teknikleri (Lubricant Manufacturing Techniques) in 2013, and Ham Petrol, Yakıtlar, Baz Yağlar (Rafine, Re-Rafine), Yağlama Yağları ve Gresler (Crude Oil, Fuels, Base Oils Refined and Re-Refined, Lubricants and Greases) in 2014.
