What Chemical Engineering Partners does

Chemical Engineering Partners (CEP) is a privately held process technology licensing company founded in 1988 as an affiliate of Evergreen Oil, Inc., headquartered in Irvine, California. The company licenses a proprietary re-refining process that converts used lubricating oils into API Group II base oil, combining vacuum distillation via Wiped Film Evaporation (WFE) with hydrotreating chemistry and its proprietary CEP-HRX™ catalyst. The six-step process — pre-treatment, water and light fuel removal, raw gas oil removal, WFE separation of lube distillate, hydrotreatment, and fractionation — is designed to achieve ≤300 ppm sulfur and ≥90% saturates while delivering ~73% base oil yield from wet feed. CEP has designed plants on five of seven continents, including facilities in the United States, Brazil, Finland, Puerto Rico, Australia, Indonesia, the Middle East, and projects in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and the UK.

CEP monetizes the technology through multi-year licensing agreements priced by plant capacity, complemented by a portfolio of professional services: Basic Engineering Design, Detailed Engineering Design (delivered with EPC partners), Feasibility/Cost Estimate studies, Training & Manuals, Start-Up support, and ongoing Consulting Services for operating re-refineries. Since June 2009, it has also sold its CEP-HRX™ catalyst as a consumable to both CEP-designed and third-party hydrotreating facilities, and offers modular units fabricated in the USA to reduce client capex risk. The sales cycle is 18-24 months from contract to operational plant, with lead generation through industry publications, trade association links (API, NORA, Lubes 'n' Grease), and confidential reference-plant visits.

The customer base consists of enterprise-scale re-refining operators and waste oil collectors/aggregators seeking to upgrade used oil into premium-priced base oil. Notable licensees include LWART (Brazil), Universal Lubricants (Kansas), L&T Recoil/EcoStream (Finland), Heartland Petroleum (Ohio), Evergreen Oil (California), Olein Recovery (Puerto Rico), Southern Oil (Australia), and WGI (Indonesia). With a 1-10 employee headcount, the firm operates a lean model that relies on senior consultants and EPC partners for execution, and draws advisory gravitas from a board that includes former U.S. Secretary of Defense Harold Brown and former EPA Administrator William K. Reilly.

Name

Chemical Engineering Partners

Legal name

Chemical Engineering Partners

Website

https://ceptechnology.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chemical Engineering Partners licenses proprietary re-refining technology (Wiped Film Evaporation plus hydrotreating with the CEP-HRX™ catalyst) to convert used lubricating oils into API Group II base oil, serving enterprise waste-oil processors and re-refining operators across five continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Re-refining Process Technology Licensing

NAICS

Petroleum Refineries (32411), Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191), Petrochemical Manufacturing (32511), Chemical Manufacturing (325)

SIC

Petroleum Refining (2911), Services-Engineering Services (8711), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Used Oil Collection, Re-refining & Circularity (Waste Oil, Recycled Base Oils) (EUALAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refinery Process Technology Licensing & Engineering (Process Design, Revamps) (EUALAGAM), Base Oil Production & Supply (Group I–V, Re-refined) (EUALAJAA), Used Oil & Oily Waste Management (Collection, Re-refining, Disposal) (BPALAFAI), Oilfield & Refining Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAI)

Keywords

• Used oil re-refining
• Wiped film evaporation
• Hydrotreating technology
• API Group II base oil
• Process technology licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Technology Licensing: CEP's primary business is licensing the CEP Process Technology. The licensing agreement grants users rights to operate a plant with specified capacity using their technology in a specific location. Cost is based on plant capacity. CEP shares information on new developments provided there is sharing of process operating information from the plant and use of the plant as a reference for marketing by CEP.
2. Basic Engineering Design: Provides Basic Engineering Package services including design basis, process description, equipment list, process flow diagrams, heat & material balances, P&ID diagrams, process equipment data sheets, instrument list, piping specifications, control philosophy, effluent stream list, quality assurance and laboratory information, and utilities consumption.
3. Detailed Engineering Design: Complete detailed engineering design services performed in house with CEP's EPC partners. Includes design basis, process engineering, mechanical, piping, civil and structural, instrument specifications, electrical layouts, enquiry specifications, and insulation/painting specifications.
4. Consulting Services: Provides consulting to operating re-refineries experiencing problems or looking to improve operations. Services include feedstock/product quality analysis, laboratory characterization, plant audits, capacity analysis, debottlenecking, optimization, hydrotreating consultation, catalyst capability assessment, operating conditions review, product specifications, and economic analysis.
5. Catalyst Sales (CEP-HRX™): In June 2009, CEP started offering its own brand of hydrotreating catalyst, CEP-HRX™. Catalyst is marketed in conjunction with CEP designed hydrotreating plants and is also available to existing hydrotreating facilities.
6. Feasibility and Cost Estimate Studies: Provides Cost Estimate and Feasibility Study Services including design basis, preliminary process flow sheets, preliminary emissions information, equipment list, cost estimates, and financial models with gross margin and internal rate of return calculations.
7. Training and Operating Manuals: Provides training and operating manuals for CEP designed re-refineries including standard operating procedures, plant startup, shutdown and troubleshooting guides. Engineer and operator trainings are conducted at project sites covering process, equipment, instrumentation, and safety.
8. Start-Up Support: Provides detailed hands-on support during plant start-up including simulated start-up training with all operators and engineers, hands-on support for both control room and field operation, to ultimately enable clients to independently handle plant operation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chemical Engineering Partners licenses a proprietary re-refining process that combines Wiped Film Evaporation (vacuum distillation) with hydrotreating (hydrofinishing), along with its proprietary CEP-HRX™ catalyst, to convert used lubricating oils into API Group II base oil. The company sells this as a technology license bundled with engineering design packages, modular units, training, start-up support, feasibility studies, and consulting services to enterprise clients building or operating used-oil re-refineries worldwide.

Product overview

Chemical Engineering Partners offers a portfolio of re-refining technology products and services centered on its proprietary CEP Process for converting used lubricating oil into API Group II base oil. The core technology stack combines Vacuum Distillation (Wiped Film Evaporation) with Hydrotreating Technology and the proprietary CEP-HRX™ Catalyst. CEP delivers these as a technology licensing package supported by Basic Engineering Design and optional Detailed Engineering Design services. Additional offerings include Modular Units for reduced capital risk, Training & Manuals, Start-Up Services, Feasibility/Cost Estimates, and Consulting Services. The portfolio operates as a platform-plus-services model where clients license the CEP Process technology and may add modular construction, engineering design, and operational support services as needed.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CEP-HRX™: Proprietary hydrotreating catalyst developed by CEP to maximize catalyst life while producing API Group II base oil.

Products and services

• CEP Process Technology (technology license) Proprietary six-step re-refining process (pre-treatment, water and light fuel removal, raw gas oil removal, WFE separation of lube distillate, hydrotreatment to API Group II, fractionation to viscosity cuts) licensed to enterprise clients worldwide for converting used lubricating oils into API Group II base oil.
• CEP-HRX™ Catalyst Proprietary hydrotreating catalyst that maximizes catalyst life while producing API Group II base oil, sold by CEP and proven to handle lower quality used oil feedstocks; available to CEP-designed hydrotreating plants and existing hydrotreating facilities.
• Modular Re-Refining Units Pre-fabricated modular re-refinery units containing major equipment, built in the USA by CEP's partners and shipped to client sites for erection; an optional delivery model that reduces client capex risk and project-management liability.
• Basic Engineering Design Comprehensive engineering package providing design basis, process description, equipment list, process flow diagrams, heat & material balances, P&IDs, data sheets, instrument list, piping specifications, control philosophy, effluent stream list, QA/laboratory information, and utility consumption for a re-refinery license.
• Detailed Engineering Design Full detailed engineering design services provided with CEP's EPC partners, including design basis, process engineering, mechanical, piping, civil and structural documentation, instrument specifications, electrical layouts, enquiry specifications, and insulation/painting specifications.
• Training & Operating Manuals Training programs and operating manuals covering standard operating procedures, plant startup/shutdown, troubleshooting, and on-site engineer/operator training on process, equipment, instrumentation, and safety for CEP-designed re-refineries.
• Start-Up Services Hands-on plant start-up support including simulated start-up training with all operators and engineers, hands-on support for control room and field operation, to ultimately enable clients to independently handle plant operation.
• Feasibility and Cost Estimate Studies Cost estimate and feasibility study services providing design basis, preliminary process flow sheets, preliminary emissions information, equipment list, cost estimates, and financial models with gross margin and internal rate of return calculations.
• Consulting Services Technical consulting services including feedstock/product quality analysis, laboratory characterization, plant audits, capacity analysis, debottlenecking, optimization, hydrotreating consultation, catalyst capability assessment, operating conditions review, product specifications, and economic analysis for operating or prospective re-refineries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73% base oil yield from wet feed (5% water content)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EPC PartnerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCEP works with Engineering Procurement Construction partners to provide detailed engineering design services. Upon clients' request, CEP can provide detailed engineering design services with these EPC partners, including production of design basis, process engineering, mechanical, piping, civil and structural documentation, and electrical layouts.
• Modular Unit Construction PartnerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCEP works with partners to complete detailed engineering and construction of modular units in the USA. The modular units contain all major equipment and are shipped to clients' sites for erection, reducing project risk and liability management for customers.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Heritage-Crystal Clean: Heritage-Crystal Clean operates used oil collection and re-refining in North America, producing base oil from used lubricants. As an integrated collector and re-refiner, it is both a potential customer for CEP's technology and a direct competitor in the same end-product market.
• Vertex Energy: Vertex Energy operates used oil re-refining and base oil production, including a re-refinery in Houston. It is a direct competitor in the API Group II re-refining space and a potential customer for CEP's licensing technology.
• Hydrodec Group: Hydrodec is a used oil re-refining company that has licensed CEP technology (per CEP's project list and a 2014 press release on CEP's site). It is a direct licensee/peer, also producing base oil from used transformer/lubricating oils.

Broad incumbents

• Safety-Kleen (Clean Harbors): Safety-Kleen, owned by Clean Harbors, is the largest used oil collection and re-refining operator in North America, providing a vertically integrated comparison to CEP's technology-licensing model. Both target the same end market of converting used lubricants into high-quality base oil, though Safety-Kleen owns/operates plants while CEP licenses the technology used by many competitors.
• Axens: Axens is a major licensor of refining and petrochemical process technologies, including hydrotreating. As a broader process technology incumbent, it competes with CEP for engineering and licensing opportunities, especially in larger integrated re-refining projects.
• UOP (Honeywell): UOP is a major process technology licensor in petroleum refining, including hydroprocessing for fuels and lubricants. It represents a much larger, broader incumbent in refinery process technology licensing, competing with CEP for hydrotreating design and licensing business in re-refining and adjacent applications.
• Neste:
• Topsoe: Topsoe licenses hydroprocessing and hydrotreating technology and catalysts globally, with significant presence in renewable diesel and base oil upgrading. It competes with CEP's hydrotreating and catalyst (CEP-HRX™) offerings for the same refinery customers.

Emerging players

• S&H Group (Solvent & Hydrocarbon): S&H Group provides re-refining plant engineering and modular units for used oil processing. As a smaller, more emerging engineering provider with a similar modular design philosophy, it is a direct emerging competitor in plant design and modular re-refining offerings.

Regional players

• Crown Oil International: Crown Oil is a UK-based used oil collector and re-refiner, providing a regional comparison to CEP's technology clients. It represents a smaller, regional player in the same re-refining value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chemical-engineering-partners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chemical Engineering Partners