Shelf Life for 55 Gal Oil Drum?

GaryBDavis · Jun 7, 2009

Does anyone know what the shelf life would be for a 55 gallon drum of oil? I've been toying with the idea of buying a drum of oil for all my farm equipment as well as the cars and trucks. I figure it would take me about two years to go through a barrel of oil. But, I'm afraid it would go bad before I could use it all up. I'd be pumping it straight from the drum with a hand pump.

The only way I heard of telling if oil has gone bad is if it turns dark. Not sure if that is right though.

Wis Bang · Jun 7, 2009

That should be fine. We used to keep drums of oil & Hyd oil, ATF & Antifreeze w/ pumps in each. New Pig sells bibs for the tops & containment stands too.

DieselPower · Jun 7, 2009

Two years should not be a problem at all. You usually don't start to see additive separation and oxidation problems until around 4 to 5 years at the earliest. I also doubt that you would ever notice any color change unless it got contaminated with water. Even then it start to become more opaque.

chh · Jun 7, 2009

Several years ago I used to buy about a barrel a year. I used a valve screwed into the small hole on the barrel and a barrel stand to measure out the oil. I don't use as much oil a year as I did then and have gone to getting the oil in 5 gal buckets. The barrel was sure handy though.

Keith Eldred · Jun 9, 2009

Wis Bang said:
That should be fine. We used to keep drums of oil & Hyd oil, ATF & Antifreeze w/ pumps in each. New Pig sells bibs for the tops & containment stands too.

My Google alert for "New Pig" brought me here. I work for New Pig on social media, including our blog. I'm going to link to this discussion in a blog post and bring it to the attention of our Tech people to see if they have anything to add.

Take care.

Keith Eldred · Jun 9, 2009

As mentioned, I posed this question to New Pig Tech. Here's the reply:

That's a new one for New Pig Tech.

Unfortunately, there isn't a simple answer to the shelf life question. Most lube / body shops will give you a three to five year window for a drum of oil - but there are some things to consider for petroleum-based oils (we're still learning about synthetics):

1. Temperature. If the temperature fluctuates greatly, longevity will decrease.

2. Moisture / condensation. Most oil comes in steel drums. If water gets into the drum, it can cause it to rust. In addition to rust particles getting into the oil, the mix of oil and water can create a breeding ground for bacteria and some really bad smells.

3. Additives. If the oil contains additives, time can cause these to fall out of suspension.

4. Exposure to air. Oxidization can occur when containers are left open. In addition, open containers are a prime cause of leaks and spills. Keeping them closed not only helps with the longevity of oil, but also helps prevent pollution!

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My blog post linking to this discussion is here.