Narrative:

Crew picked up this aircraft in ZZZ1 and operated it to ZZZ2. All operations on that flight were normal. The only deferral I recall was something regarding a dent in the translation cowl which was due for resolution at 'next engine change.' this leg the first officer was at the controls. Departure and climb from ZZZ2 were normal. We did receive a couple of leveloffs in coordination with normal traffic issues. As we leveled off at FL360; I had just completed the cruise checklist. I was comparing the fuel on board with projections on the release. At the top of climb we were a little behind on fuel; however; our next fix (ZZZ3) had us within 12 pounds of projected fuel on board. I had just stored the release in the slot in front of the emergency brake when we received a triple chime; aural 'engine oil' warning. Both crew members observed the warning on EICAS page 1; as well as the oil pressure was fluctuating between 18 pounds and 22 pounds on the #2 engine. I; as the PNF; asked ATC for lower and told her that we needed priority. At the same time; the first officer brought the right engine to flight idle. We were immediately cleared to 11000 ft. The first officer commenced a descent as I dialed in 11000 ft on the altitude preselect. I shared with the first officer the remarks; 'you have the controls and radios;' to which he responded that he did. Both crew members observed that the oil pressure on the #2 engine was stable at about 28 pounds. As a result of this; crew discussed the belief that a shutdown was not the proper course of action; however; leaving the engine at idle was the proper thing to do. I contacted commercial radio and asked them to contact maintenance control as well as our dispatcher. I explained what had occurred and that we felt a diversion to ZZZ3 was the best course of action. Maintenance control also told us to comply with the QRH. I spoke with the first officer about this as we felt that although the oil pressure was low; it was now in the green range and was stable. I spoke again with dispatch and he reconnected us with maintenance. The mutual decision with maintenance control; dispatch and the crew was that we should keep the engine running at idle as long as the oil pressure was within the green range and that a diversion to ZZZ3 was the proper course of action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ100 DEVELOPED FLUCTUATING OIL PRESSURE. THE INDICATION DID NOT REMAIN IN THE RED BAND; SO THE CREW LEFT THE ENG IDLING AND DIVERTED.

Narrative: CREW PICKED UP THIS ACFT IN ZZZ1 AND OPERATED IT TO ZZZ2. ALL OPS ON THAT FLT WERE NORMAL. THE ONLY DEFERRAL I RECALL WAS SOMETHING REGARDING A DENT IN THE TRANSLATION COWL WHICH WAS DUE FOR RESOLUTION AT 'NEXT ENG CHANGE.' THIS LEG THE FO WAS AT THE CTLS. DEP AND CLB FROM ZZZ2 WERE NORMAL. WE DID RECEIVE A COUPLE OF LEVELOFFS IN COORD WITH NORMAL TFC ISSUES. AS WE LEVELED OFF AT FL360; I HAD JUST COMPLETED THE CRUISE CHKLIST. I WAS COMPARING THE FUEL ON BOARD WITH PROJECTIONS ON THE RELEASE. AT THE TOP OF CLB WE WERE A LITTLE BEHIND ON FUEL; HOWEVER; OUR NEXT FIX (ZZZ3) HAD US WITHIN 12 LBS OF PROJECTED FUEL ON BOARD. I HAD JUST STORED THE RELEASE IN THE SLOT IN FRONT OF THE EMER BRAKE WHEN WE RECEIVED A TRIPLE CHIME; AURAL 'ENG OIL' WARNING. BOTH CREW MEMBERS OBSERVED THE WARNING ON EICAS PAGE 1; AS WELL AS THE OIL PRESSURE WAS FLUCTUATING BTWN 18 LBS AND 22 LBS ON THE #2 ENG. I; AS THE PNF; ASKED ATC FOR LOWER AND TOLD HER THAT WE NEEDED PRIORITY. AT THE SAME TIME; THE FO BROUGHT THE R ENG TO FLT IDLE. WE WERE IMMEDIATELY CLRED TO 11000 FT. THE FO COMMENCED A DSCNT AS I DIALED IN 11000 FT ON THE ALT PRESELECT. I SHARED WITH THE FO THE REMARKS; 'YOU HAVE THE CTLS AND RADIOS;' TO WHICH HE RESPONDED THAT HE DID. BOTH CREW MEMBERS OBSERVED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE ON THE #2 ENG WAS STABLE AT ABOUT 28 LBS. AS A RESULT OF THIS; CREW DISCUSSED THE BELIEF THAT A SHUTDOWN WAS NOT THE PROPER COURSE OF ACTION; HOWEVER; LEAVING THE ENG AT IDLE WAS THE PROPER THING TO DO. I CONTACTED COMMERCIAL RADIO AND ASKED THEM TO CONTACT MAINT CTL AS WELL AS OUR DISPATCHER. I EXPLAINED WHAT HAD OCCURRED AND THAT WE FELT A DIVERSION TO ZZZ3 WAS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION. MAINT CTL ALSO TOLD US TO COMPLY WITH THE QRH. I SPOKE WITH THE FO ABOUT THIS AS WE FELT THAT ALTHOUGH THE OIL PRESSURE WAS LOW; IT WAS NOW IN THE GREEN RANGE AND WAS STABLE. I SPOKE AGAIN WITH DISPATCH AND HE RECONNECTED US WITH MAINT. THE MUTUAL DECISION WITH MAINT CTL; DISPATCH AND THE CREW WAS THAT WE SHOULD KEEP THE ENG RUNNING AT IDLE AS LONG AS THE OIL PRESSURE WAS WITHIN THE GREEN RANGE AND THAT A DIVERSION TO ZZZ3 WAS THE PROPER COURSE OF ACTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.