Characteristics of Crude Oils and Properties of Petroleum Products

Abstract

The petroleum industry generally classifies crude oil by three criteria: the geographic location where it is produced (e.g., West Texas Intermediate, Brent, or Oman), its API gravity (an oil industry measure of density), and its sulfur content. This classification is important because it affects both the transportation costs to the refinery and the refining costs to meet sulfur standards imposed on fuels in the consuming countries. The largest volume products of the industry, on the other hand, are fuel oil and gasoline.