How Much Does a 10 TPD / 50 TPD Used Engine Oil Recycling Plant Cost?

• A 10 TPD continuous used engine oil distillation system costs approximately US$42,000–68,000;
• A 10 TPD used lube oil recycling system costs approximately US$129,950–158,500;
• A 50 TPD waste motor oil-to-diesel system costs about US$246,100.

These are equipment price references, not standard turnkey project prices. Installation, storage tanks, utilities, environmental controls, civil works, and working capital can significantly increase the total investment.

For buyers comparing 10 TPD and 50 TPD projects, the key is to compare the same process route and supply scope—not simply the capacity stated in a supplier’s advertisement.

Why Do Prices Differ Between 10 TPD and 50 TPD Plants?

The main difference is the processing route and final product quality.

• Fuel oil production: Primarily involves dehydration, distillation, and fuel-fraction recovery.
• Base oil re-refining: Requires additional separation and finishing processes, such as vacuum distillation, wiped-film evaporation, solvent treatment, or hydrotreating.

For example, Chemical Engineering Partners (CEP) uses pretreatment, wiped-film evaporation, hydrotreating, and final fractionation in its API Group II base oil process. These additional stages increase equipment requirements and investment costs.

Equipment Price Is Not Total Project Investment

The equipment quotation is only part of the investment. Storage tanks, utilities, environmental systems, installation, civil works, and working capital can add significantly to the total project cost.

The following chart provides an illustrative breakdown of project investment.

For investment planning, request two separate figures from every supplier:

• Equipment supply price – the machinery and auxiliary equipment included in the quotation.
• Installed or turnkey project price – the agreed equipment scope plus installation, commissioning and other specified site requirements.

Do not compare a machinery-only quotation from one supplier with a turnkey quotation from another. The ranges are planning estimates and should not be added together as a fixed budget.

Plant Capacity and Annual Processing Volume

The following comparison assumes 300 operating days per year.

A 50 TPD plant requires a much larger and more reliable feedstock supply network than a 10 TPD plant. Buyers should confirm sufficient used-oil availability and stable demand for recovered products before choosing a larger capacity.

Base Oil Recovery: A Useful Benchmark for Project Evaluation

Chemical Engineering Partners reports approximately 75% base oil yield on a wet-feed basis containing around 5% water. Its reported result at the LWART operation in Brazil is approximately 76%.

The following figures illustrate the potential output at different capacities using the 75% benchmark.

Plant Capacity	Daily Feedstock	Illustrative Base Oil Output
10 TPD	10 tons	7.5 tons/day
50 TPD	50 tons	37.5 tons/day

When comparing supplier yield claims, confirm whether the percentage refers specifically to base oil or includes other recovered liquid products.

What Factors Have the Biggest Impact on Plant Cost?

• Product Type: Fuel oil and base oil production require different equipment and processing systems.
• Feedstock Quality: Oil quality affects pretreatment requirements, recovery yield, and operating costs.
• Plant Configuration: Capacity, batch or continuous operation, and automation level influence equipment costs.
• Environmental Requirements: Wastewater treatment, emission control, and safety systems add to project costs.
• Installation Scope: Shipping, civil works, installation, commissioning, and training may be charged separately.