State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil and Yuangen Petrochemical jointly established a Special Lubricant Research and Development Center

On the morning of July 10, the unveiling ceremony of the Special Lubricant R&D Center of the National Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil, jointly established by China University of Petroleum (East China) and Shandong Yuangen Petroleum Chemical Co., Ltd., was grandly held at Yuangen Petrochemical. Key representatives from China University of Petroleum (East China), Shandong Vocational College of Science and Technology, Jining Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Jining National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, and Shandong Yuangen Petroleum Chemical Co., Ltd. gathered to witness this significant moment of industry-academia-research collaboration. Attendees included Yu Liandong, Assistant President of China University of Petroleum (East China); Zhang Yongning, Party Committee Secretary of the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; and Tian Yuanyu, Director of the National Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil.

At the beginning of the event, host Bai Lei introduced the attending leaders and guests. Subsequently, Yuan Junzhou, Chief Engineer of Yuangen Petrochemical, elaborated on the positioning and vision of the R&D Center. He stated that the Special Lubricant R&D Center will focus on tackling "bottleneck" technologies, striving to break through industry constraints. By leveraging the strengths of both parties, it aims to achieve deep integration in the high-value utilization of heavy oil, accelerating the transformation of scientific achievements and the cultivation of high-end talent.

During the collaborative address, Yu Liandong, Assistant President of China University of Petroleum (East China), highlighted the pivotal role of universities as hubs of talent and intellectual resources in technological innovation. He emphasized the significance of university-local-enterprise collaboration in advancing the translation of technological achievements.He noted that over its 70-year history, China University of Petroleum (East China) has nurtured a multitude of outstanding professionals. The joint establishment of the Special Lubricant R&D Center under the National Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil with Yuangen Petrochemical represents a critical initiative for both parties to support national strategies and drive industrial upgrading.

Tian Yuanyu, Director of the National Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil, presented an overview of the laboratory and the strategic vision for the R&D Center. He stated that as China's only national-level research base primarily focused on heavy oil studies, the laboratory will pool resources and leverage complementary strengths with Yuangen Petrochemical. Their collaboration will concentrate on developing high-performance lubricant systems, reducing reliance on foreign technologies and products, and enhancing the core competitiveness of domestically produced lubricants.

Liu Liang, a member of the Party Committee of Jining High-tech Zone and the Party Secretary of Jiezhuang Sub-district, delivered a speech on behalf of Jining High-tech Zone, expressing congratulations on the establishment of the research and development center. He pointed out that Jining High-tech Zone has achieved remarkable results in the path of high-quality development in recent years. The establishment of this research and development center is a vivid practice of deepening innovation-driven development and accelerating industrial upgrading. The high-tech zone will fully support the construction of the research and development center, promote the transformation of achievements, optimize the innovation ecosystem, and provide strong guarantees for university-enterprise cooperation and scientific and technological innovation.

At 10:00 AM, the unveiling ceremony officially commenced. Yu Liandong, Assistant President of China University of Petroleum (East China); Tian Yuanyu, Director of the National Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil; Liu Liang, Member of the Jining High-Tech Zone Party Working Committee and Secretary of the Jiezhuang Subdistrict Party Working Committee; along with Yao Lianzhi, Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of Yuangen Petrochemical, jointly unveiled the plaque for the R&D Center. This marked the official establishment of the Special Lubricant R&D Center of the National Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil at Shandong Yuangen Petrochemical.

Following the unveiling ceremony, Yao Lianzhi, Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of Yuangen Petrochemical, delivered a speech. He stated that specialty lubricants are the "lifeblood" of industrial equipment, and as a company with years of expertise in the lubricant sector, Yuangen Petrochemical fully recognizes the importance of achieving independent control over core technologies. The establishment of the National Key Laboratory's Specialty Lubricant R&D Center has created a platform for in-depth collaboration between enterprises and universities. Yuangen Petrochemical will dedicate resources and build platforms to bridge the "last mile" from laboratory to production line, driving breakthroughs in technical barriers across the industry's upstream and downstream sectors, and contributing to the advancement of China's lubricant industry.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, attendees gathered for a group photo and toured the company's exhibition hall, production workshops, and R&D center. The establishment of the Special Lubricants R&D Center under the National Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil represents a significant achievement in collaborative innovation among universities, local government, and enterprises. This initiative will strongly advance technological breakthroughs and industrial upgrading in the field of specialty lubricants, injecting new momentum into the development of China's high-end equipment manufacturing and related sectors.