Lubricants and oils in the UAE are the hydraulic, gear, compressor, turbine and marine oils, greases and metalworking fluids that plants, ports, ships and workshops buy from oil marketers and blenders. This page explains the eight product types, how base oil group and OEM approvals decide what you can buy, when bulk supply beats drums, which UAE approvals apply as of 2026, and what drives price, before the supplier listings.
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Lubricants and oils are formulated fluids and greases that reduce friction, carry heat away and protect metal surfaces in machines. In the UAE they form one family of the wider chemicals, lubricants and industrial gases sector, and they are bought by utilities, refineries and gas plants, aluminium and steel plants, ports and shipyards, district cooling operators and machine shops. Each type is defined by its application, its ISO viscosity grade and the specifications or approvals printed on its data sheet.
| Type | Typical use in the UAE | Key specification |
|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic oils | Mobile plant, presses, port cranes, injection moulding machines | ISO VG, anti-wear type, pump maker listing, fire-resistant grade where needed |
| Industrial gear oils | Gearboxes on conveyors, mixers, cooling tower fans, kilns | ISO VG, ISO 12925-1 class (such as CKD), DIN 51517-3, gearbox maker approval |
| Compressor oils | Screw and reciprocating air and gas compressors | ISO VG, compressor maker approval, change interval at site temperature |
| Turbine oils | Steam and gas turbines in power and desalination plants | Turbine maker specification, oxidation life, air release and foaming |
| Greases | Bearings, couplings, open gears, wire ropes | Thickener type, base oil viscosity, NLGI grade, temperature range |
| Marine lubricants | Ship main and auxiliary engines, stern tubes, deck machinery | Engine builder approval, base number, environmentally acceptable grade for stern tubes |
| Metalworking fluids | Machining, grinding, forming and quenching | Soluble, semi-synthetic or neat oil; metal compatibility; biocide stability |
| Other industrial lubricants | Chain oils, slideway oils, food-grade oils, thread compounds | Application data sheet, NSF H1 registration for food plants |
This page is about choosing and sourcing the oils themselves. Store-level items such as grease guns, automatic lubricators and oil handling kits, and the UAE engine oil and used oil rules, are covered under lubrication and maintenance supplies for UAE plants. Related chemical products, such as corrosion inhibitors and solvents from the industrial chemicals family and specialty chemicals for water and process treatment, are listed separately.
Choose the base oil by how hot the oil runs and how long you want it to last. Mineral Group I and II oils suit most plant at normal temperatures; Group III, PAO (Group IV) and ester or other Group V synthetics cost more but resist oxidation better when sumps and bearings run hot through a UAE summer.
API 1509 Appendix E sorts base stocks into five groups:
Viscosity index tells you how much the oil thins as it heats. In a cooling tower gearbox on a Dubai rooftop or a hydraulic power unit on a quayside at Khalifa Port, a higher index oil keeps more of its film at the top of the temperature range. The data sheet will not always name the base oil group; ask the supplier, and ask for the oxidation test result rather than relying on the word synthetic.
Heat and humidity work together. Coastal UAE air is humid for much of the year, so reservoirs and gearboxes that breathe through open vents pick up water, which shortens oil life whatever the base stock. Desiccant breathers and oil analysis at set intervals are cheaper than an early oil change.
An OEM approval is the equipment maker's statement that a named product has passed its own tests. Industry specifications such as ISO 12925-1 or DIN 51517-3 set a minimum; an approval goes further and is what most warranties are written against.
The Mobil SHC 600 series data sheet is a typical example. It lists the industry specifications the oils meet (AGMA 9005-F16, DIN 51517-3, ISO 12925-1 class CKD) and, separately, the OEM approvals: grades approved by Siemens for Flender gearboxes, an SEW-Eurodrive approval, and approvals for specific traction motors and thrusters. The approval applies to named grades only, not to the whole series, so check that the viscosity grade you are buying is on the list.
Food and beverage plants in Dubai Industrial City or KEZAD have a further layer: NSF H1 registration for lubricants that may contact food, which needs the same listing check.
Buy packed oil when consumption is low or the range is wide, and move the main grades to bulk when a site uses enough of one oil to justify a tank. Bulk lowers the cost per litre and cuts drum handling, but only works if the site keeps the oil clean.
Whatever the pack, ask for a certificate of analysis per batch and check the fill date. A bulk contract should name the product, approvals, delivery tolerance and how a contaminated delivery is handled.
UAE supply comes from international oil marketers through their appointed distributors, from blending plants in the UAE and the wider Gulf, and from independent importers of specialist oils. Group II base oil has been produced in the region since 2018, when a Yanbu refinery in Saudi Arabia began shipping large volumes, so a product blended in the Gulf may use regional base oil and imported additive packages.
Brands listed in this family include Shell (Tellus hydraulic and Omala gear oils), Mobil (DTE hydraulic oils and SHC synthetics), Chevron and its Caltex and Texaco brands, used in the Gulf for engine, gear and hydraulic oils, Clarion for food-grade white oils and biodegradable hydraulic fluids, Lubriplate for NSF H1 synthetic oils and greases, Quaker Houghton for metalworking and fire-resistant fluids, and Jet-Lube for thread compounds and extreme-pressure greases.
Ask each supplier where the product was blended, whether it is the same formulation as the international data sheet, and who holds any UAE certificate. Shell, Mobil and Chevron products sold through the brand's appointed UAE distributor carry the manufacturer's technical support and batch traceability.
As of October 2026, MoIAT's product conformity rule for lubricants is written for engine oils, and Abu Dhabi Customs lists lubricants among goods that need prior MoIAT approval at import. Industrial oils are otherwise bought to the buyer's specification and the OEM approvals described above.
| Requirement | Applies to | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Prior approval before import | Diesel, fuel oils, lubricants, paints and varnishes | MoIAT, as listed by Abu Dhabi Customs |
| Lubricant conformity certificate | Engine oils, detail on the lubrication and maintenance supplies page | MoIAT |
| Hazard labels and SDS, draft GSO 2654:2025 | Classified oils and greases | GSO |
| OEM approval | Gear, hydraulic, compressor and turbine oils in warranted equipment | Equipment manufacturer |
| NSF H1 registration | Lubricants with possible food contact | NSF, required by the buyer |
The ECAS and EQM guide explains how to check a UAE certificate.
Base oil group and additive chemistry set most of the price: a PAO or ester product costs several times a Group I or II mineral oil of the same grade. OEM approvals, food-grade registration and pack size come next, with small packs and cartridges carrying the highest cost per litre. Base oil and crude prices move list prices, so ask how long a quote is valid. Common grades are held in UAE stock and delivered in days; specialty synthetics, large viscosity grades and fire-resistant fluids may be shipped to order through Jebel Ali. To compare offers on the same basis, post your requirement with product names, grades, approvals and pack sizes.
