Lynch, a consultant to the lubricants industry, provides an introduction to the chemistry behind the production of lubricant base stocks from crude oil fractions, as well as an overview of the development work that has gone on in this area over the past 150 years. He relates the properties of base stocks to their chemical composition and describes the process steps for their manufacture. The book highlights catalytic processes, including hydrocracking, hydrofinishing, and catalytic dewaxing. It also covers traditional solvent-based separation methods used to remove impurities, enhance performance, and improve oxidation resistance. The final chapters discuss the production of food grade white oils and paraffins and the gas-to-liquids processes used to produce highlight paraffinic base stocks via Fischer-Tropsch chemistry. The book can be used as a reference for professionals across a range of disciplines. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)