Purpose:　To　enhance　the　performance　of　hydrostatic　bearings,　graphene　serves　as　a　lubricant　additive.　Using　the　high　thermal　conductivity　of　graphene,　the　purpose　of　this　study　is　to　focus　on　the　impact　of　graphene　nano-lubricating　oil　hydrostatic　bearing　temperature　rise　at　various　speeds　and　eccentricities.　Design/methodology/approach:　The　thermal　conductivity　of　graphene　nano-lubricating　oil　was　calculated　by　molecular　dynamics　method　and　based　on　the　viscosity–temperature　effect,　the　coupled　heat　transfer　finite　element　model　of　hydrostatic　bearing　was　established;　temperature　rise　of　pure　lubricating　oil　and　graphene　nano-lubricating　oil　hydrostatic　bearing　were　analysed　at　different　speed　and　eccentricity　based　on　computational　fluid　dynamics　method.　Findings:　With　the　increase　of　speed　and　eccentricity,　the　temperature　rise　of　0.2%　graphene　nano-lubricating　oil　bearings　is　lower　than　that　of　pure　lubricating　oil　bearings;　in　addition　with　the　increase　of　graphene　mass　fraction,　the　temperature　rise　of　graphene　nano-lubricating　oil　bearings　is　always　higher　than　that　of　pure　lubricating　oil　bearings,　and　the　higher　the　speed,　the　more　obvious　the　phenomenon.　Originality/value:　The　effects　of　graphene　as　a　lubricant　additive　on　the　thermal　conductivity　of　nano-lubricating　oil　and　the　variation　of　the　temperature　rise　of　graphene　nano-lubricating　oil　bearings　compared　to　pure　lubricating　oil　bearings　were　analysed　by　combining　micro　and　macro　methods.　Peer　review:　The　peer　review　history　for　this　article　is　available　at:　https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-12-2023-0388　©　2024,　Emerald　Publishing　Limited.