Crude Oil Grades and Types

Crude oil grades, types, and names.
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:
- Crude oil assay
- Crude oil cargo inspection
- Cargo additive treatment Services
- Oil and gas reservoir expertise
- Shale Oil and Gas Services
- Geochemical evaluation
- Petroleum testing
- Petroleum Refinery Services
- Hydrogen Sulfide Management (H2S)
- Additional technical and logistical testing and inspection.
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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