A process for manufacturing a lubricating
base oil, comprising dewaxing a substantially paraffinic
wax feed by hydroisomerization dewaxing using a shape selective intermediate pore size
molecular sieve under hydroisomerization conditions including a
hydrogen to feed ratio from about 712.4 to about 3562
liter H2 /
liter oil, whereby a lubricating
base oil is produced having a)a total weight percent of molecules with cycloparaffinic functionality greater than 10, and b) a ratio of weight percent molecules with monocycloparaffinic functionality to weight percent molecules with multicycloparaffinic functionality greater than 30. Also a method for producing a
base oil having a
high ratio of weight percent molecules with monocycloparaffinic functionality to weight percent molecules with multicycloparaffinic functionality by hydroisomerization dewaxing a selected Fischer-Tropsch
wax under hydroisomerization conditions including a
hydrogen to feed ratio from about 712.4 to about 3562
liter H2 / liter oil. Also a lubricating base oil manufacturing
plant.