Incremental dilution dewaxing process

In a process for dewaxing a waxy lubricating oil stock by cooling said oil stock in the presence of a dewaxing solvent to a temperature effective for removal of wax therefrom by filtration wherein said oil stock optionally diluted with a minor portion of said dewaxing solvent is cooled and dewaxing solvent is incrementally added to the oil stock during cooling, the improvement comprising introducing said oil stock at a temperature above its cloud point into a cooling zone, cooling and vigorously agitating said oil in said cooling zone without addition of solvent to a temperature below the cloud point of said oil stock, introducing incrementally at least the major portion of said dewaxing solvent into admixture with said oil stock after the temperature of said oil stock is below said cloud point, further cooling resulting mixture of oil stock and solvent under conditions of substantially reduced agitation to dewaxing temperature, separating by filtration thus precipitated wax from resulting dewaxed oil in said mixture and recovering oil of diminished wax content therefrom.