BMW recommends Shell as global supplier for aftermarket engine oils

Shell has been chosen by BMW as its only recommended global supplier for aftermarket engine oils for several BMW brands, including BMW, BMW i, BMW M, MINI and BMW Motorrad, the companies announced today.

From the start of 2015, premium engine oils manufactured by Shell will be available to customers at BMW’s network of more than 3,500 dealers in more than 140 countries, including China, Germany, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, the UK and the US.

The partnership means that Shell will produce and supply BMW’s branded engine oils. These products will meet the latest BMW engine specifications and are underpinned by Shell’s PurePlus Technology. 

“We are honored to become the BMW Group’s recommended supplier of aftermarket engine oil," said Mark Gainsborough, executive vice president for Shell Lubricants. We look forward to jointly supplying, distributing and marketing these oils, as of the start of 2015. ”

Shell says its PurePlus Technology is a breakthrough in how engine oils are formulated. It is a patented gas-to-liquid (GTL) process, developed in over 40 years of research, which converts natural gas into a crystal-clear base oil.

Base oil, usually made from crude oil, is the main component of finished oils and plays a vital role in the quality of the finished engine oil. The base oil is produced at the Pearl GTL plant in Qatar, a partnership between Shell and Qatar Petroleum. 

From 2015, BMW service customers can benefit from the integration of Shell’s global lubricants supply chain with its gas value chain in Qatar.

“This is recognition of the benefits of Shell’s engine oil expertise and cutting-edge technology by one of the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles," Gainsborough said. "This includes an acknowledgment of the value of our most recent innovation: Shell PurePlus Technology for premium engine oils.”