Independent power producer DQE Energy Services, which provides electricity to airports, industrial facilities, and municipalities, has to maintain its solar turbines, methane screw compressors, root blowers, and other machinery at peak levels. DQE facility manager Joseph Hayden views equipment maintenance "like any savvy investor considers his or her investment strategies. The primary goal is to deliver long-term, sustained success."

Hayden chose ExxonMobil's range of synthetic lubricants for his company's equipment, saving some $33,000 per year by extending oil drain intervals and reducing equipment wear. He points to DQE's two solar turbines, which cost about $500,000 each.

"For those systems we use Mobil SHC 824 turbine oil and have accrued more than 31,000 hours of operation on each," Hayden explains. "We have had superior operating performance and oil analysis conditions and thus have not had to change out the oil in their sumps." This has saved DQE almost $25,000.

"If we had chosen cheaper, conventional, mineral-based oils we would have had to change the sump numerous times during the past five years, which would result in significant oil waste and associated labor charges," says Hayden.

And by using Mobil SHC 627 in its methane screw compressors, DQE needs to change the oil annually instead of four time a year, saving "more than $20,000 per year on lubrication costs," says Hayden.

Before the switch to synthetic oil, the "spider gears on our root blowers broke or were sheared off four times because of inadequate lubrication during startup in cold weather conditions, costing us $2,000 each time," he adds. "Over the past few years, using Mobil SHC 626 and a Teflon gear has resulted in zero failures."