Shell Tellus FAQs

There are many influential factors such as viscosity, anti-wear, stick-slip, foaming, corrosion/oxidation, temperature/thermal stability, water retention, equipment/seal compatibility and fluid life/disposability. There are standard industry ratings that can give you a strong base for comparison, but every application has its own criteria. That’s why we recommend working with Shell technical experts to determine the optimal solution for you and your business. You can leverage the industry knowledge and understanding that has made us the No.1 manufacturer of industrial lubricants.

When you consider that your hydraulic oils are the lifeblood of your equipment, it is not surprising that it can have a major impact on performance and productivity. Factors such as viscosity, anti-wear, stick-slip, foaming, corrosion/oxidation, temperature/thermal stability, water retention, equipment/seal compatibility and fluid life/disposability, add up to significant impact on maintenance intervals, productivity, energy consumption, reliability, flexibility, sustainability and of course total cost of ownership.

This is not a simple answer. While Shell Tellus S2 MX might be more appropriate for stationary equipment and Shell Tellus S2 VX for mobile equipment, this is only half the story. Our latest innovations like Shell Tellus S4 VE bring productivity and energy efficiencies for both mobile and stationary equipment. Every application has its own unique criteria and judgement points. At Shell, we’re proud to put the customer at the heart of all we do, we have a service that can help you evaluate your options and find the right solution.

TOST is a valuable tool for indicating oil life.

The oxidation stability of various industrial lubricants in the presence of water is commonly evaluated by the Turbine Oil Oxidation Stability Test (TOST). Oil oxidation stability is a crucial consideration when selecting an industrial lubricant as oxidation will lead to an increase in the oil’s viscosity and will result in varnish and sludge deposits.

During the test, each reactant and catalyst is exaggerated. Under these conditions, the lubricant will oxidise or hydrolyse, increasing its acidity or acid number (AN), which is the metric used to measure oxidation stability.

The life of the oil is then determined by measuring the time to reach an acid number of 2 mgKOH/g.

You can now choose a hydraulic oil that can offer a TOST life of around 10,000 hours. This is double the test results of mineral oil. Consider the impact on your oil life!

The Gas to Liquid technology is a result of 45 years of research and development at Shell. GTL Base Oils represent an entirely new way of producing synthetic base oils – the main component of lubricants – from natural gas. Our proprietary process converts natural gas into crystal-clear base oils with virtually none of the impurities found in crude oil. Shell GTL base oils offer less equipment wear, reduced fuel consumption, equipment cleanliness and longer lubricant life.

Many hydraulic oils depend on vital additives to deliver their best performance. Sometimes filtration can damage the effectiveness of an oil attacking these additives so that the best intentions actually reduce effectiveness. The optimal solution therefore is to minimize the need for filtration in the first place. Shell Tellus S4 VE is designed to deliver such a solution. It’s reliable and long lasting while constantly working to minimize varnish and sludge. It has up to 10,000 hours TOST life. When you’re looking to maximize performance and cost efficiency – the best place to start is with the right oil.

Lower power consumption comes primarily from optimizing the hydraulic fluid’s viscosity. For a typical plant running dozens of machines, the electricity savings can easily add up to thousands. As an illustration, a plastic injection molding company could achieve an estimated energy saving of over 4% with Shell Tellus S4 VE.

The demands on many hydraulic systems have increased dramatically in recent years with greatly increased operating pressures and power density. While new pumps and motors have been developed to handle higher loads and deliver longer life, a new way of testing and new standards were required to measure how hydraulic oils were meeting the needs of the new environment. The Bosch Rexroth fluid test and ratings are designed to meet this need. Before, machine manufacturers could only rely on arduous and expensive trial-and-error tests to find suitable fluids that meet their application requirements. To address that, Bosch Rexroth developed an evaluation method for rating hydraulic fluids that realistically reflects higher performance demands. The procedure examines the behaviour of lubricants and the interplay in key components—the hydraulic pump and motor—under realistic working conditions.

The Bosch Rexroth test lets manufacturers of lubricants and additives have the performance of their hydraulic fluids rated independently, regardless of the application. Suitable fluids can substantially lengthen the service life of hydraulic components and significantly lower the odds of failure. As a result, machine manufacturers and operators can better select fluids that improve reliability which, in turn, reduces their maintenance and downtime costs.

Shell Tellus S4 VE performed excellently and has Bosch Rexroth RDE 90245 approval.

Shell Tellus S4VE will deliver in most conditions other than arctic.

Ask Shell. We have services like Lube Analyst to help you confirm the impact of hydraulic oils on your equipment and processes. This can help to optimize performance and even prevent failures. Evaluating the true total cost of ownership can also lead to better business decisions and performance. We have years of experience and extraordinary experts so you can focus on what you do best without worrying about your lubricants.

Ask Shell. We have services like Lube Analyst to help you confirm the impact of hydraulic oils on your equipment and processes. This can help to optimize performance and even prevent failures. Evaluating the true total cost of ownership can also lead to better business decisions and performance. We have years of experience and extraordinary experts so you can focus on what you do best without worrying about your lubricants.

Shell Naturelle Hydraulic Fluids are advanced fluids for use in hydraulic and power transmission systems. They are readily biodegradable with a low ecotoxity. As such, they are particularly suited for use in environmentally sensitive areas. Fully synthetic esters, blended with ashless additives, provide Shell Naturelle Hydraulic Fluids with a superior blend of lubrications performance and environmental responsibility. Shell Tellus S4 VE is a GTL based oil with virtually none of the impurities found in crude oil and helps to deliver important energy savings.

To find out more about the Shell Tellus range and our portfolio of lubricants for business please click this link Contact our Experts

To find out where to buy the Shell Tellus range and other products from our portfolio of lubricants for business click this link Contact our Experts

While applications will continue to evolve, there seems little doubt that the world will continue to expect its machines and hydraulic systems to work ever harder and more efficiently. Part of the reason why we are the leading manufacturer of industrial lubricants is that we are always looking forward and putting our customers’ needs at the heart of everything we do. We work closely with our customers, equipment manufacturers and leading universities to stay ahead of the curve. We invest heavily in research and innovation to deliver higher performance and more sustainable solutions. Whatever the challenges the future holds, together anything is possible.