What is a white oil?

White oils are highly refined mineral oils that are extremely pure, stable, colorless, odorless, non-toxic and chemically inert. These attributes make them perfect for any application that values these properties, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and chemical processing.

The term “white oil” is a misnomer, in that they are not white at all, but crystal clear. White oils can be produced from a variety of feedstocks, depending on the process used. These starting materials include conventional base stocks for the older acid treatment process to Vacuum Gas Oils (VGO) for the more currently widely used two stage hydrotreating method. Both processes produce colorless, odorless, tasteless oils where all components that might have any detrimental effects on their end usage, such as aromatics, sulphur or other impurities, have essentially been removed, resulting in a pure and thermally stable product. 

Thanks to these characteristics white oils are widely used in pharmaceutical and medicinal applications, cosmetics, and the plastic and food industries.