Crude oil grades, types, and names.

Intertek Caleb Brett

Crude oil testing and assay services provided by Intertek support customers from the well-head to the refinery across the world. Each crude oil reservoir and stream has unique properties and characteristics. A partial listing of the world's crude oils is listed. 

Intertek crude oil services:

Intertek has extensive depth, breadth and geographic reach of petroleum experience and insight, provided by our Total Quality Assurance experts. A partial list of global crude oil streams tested and inspected and tested by Intertek are shown below.

Sweet crude oils are low in Sulphur below 0.5%wt and require less processing to meet product specifications

Examples: Brega Condensate, Dulang, Njord

Sour crude oils have a higher Sulphur content typically above 1%wt and will require more processing in a refinery.

Examples: Bow River, Kuwait Export, Maya

Light crude oils have a high API gravity >35, they will produce more of the value products such as gasoline, kerosene and diesel.

Examples: Asgard Condensate, Copper Basin, Kerapu.

Medium crude oils API around 26 to 35 will produce less of the value products

Examples: Flotta, Bonny Light, Oman

Heavy crude oils API <26 produce more residual fuel which is low value compared to gasoline, kerosene and diesel.

Examples: Wabasca Heavy, Captain, Jubarte.

A Sweet Light crude oil would be of highest value.

 

Examples: Arab Super Light, Kutubu, Beatrice

 

Synthetic Crude oils are produced when bitumen or extra heavy crude oils are ‘pre-processed’ to produce a lighter, lower Sulphur crude oil.

Examples: Suncor OSH, Hamaca, Premium Albian Synthetic.

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