CRUDE
A naturally occurring, unrefined petroleum product composed of hydrocarbon deposits. Crude oil can be refined to produce usable products such as gasoline, diesel and various forms of petrochemicals. Although it is often called "black gold," crude oil has ranging viscosity and can vary in color to various shades of black and yellow depending on its hydrocarbon composition. Distillation, the process by which oil is heated and separated in different components, is the the first stage in refining.
Our dedicated office is specialized in providing prompt fulfillment of crude oil orders. Unlike large stream providers, our global connectivity, combined with our strategically honed business partnerships within the regions we serve, enables us to rapidly and cost-effectively service our customers, sourcing crude oil directly from producers in the field as well as Major Oil Companies. Through main Producer/Seller we offer our customers flexibility in size of cargo, location of delivery and timing, to suit whatever particular need they may have.
The different types of crude oil are classified based on the American Petroleum Gravity (API) gravity and viscosity. The properties may vary in terms of proportion of hydrocarbon elements, sulfur content etc as it is extracted from different geographical locations all over the world.
Classifications are made based on the sulfur content as well. Crude oil with low content of sulfur means 'sweet' and the presence of high content sulfur is known as 'sour'. One of the largest and major Classifications of Crude oil is Brent Blend, which is found in the North Sea. With an API gravity of 38.3 degrees and 0.37% of sulfur, this blend of crude oil comes from 15 various oil fields in the North Sea.
- Light crude oil is defined as having an API gravity higher than 31.1 °API
- Medium oil is defined as having an API gravity between 22.3 °API and 31.1 °API
- Heavy oil is defined as having an API gravity below 22.3 °API.
Classifications are made based on the sulfur content as well. Crude oil with low content of sulfur means 'sweet' and the presence of high content sulfur is known as 'sour'. One of the largest and major Classifications of Crude oil is Brent Blend, which is found in the North Sea. With an API gravity of 38.3 degrees and 0.37% of sulfur, this blend of crude oil comes from 15 various oil fields in the North Sea.
- West Texas Intermediate (WTI) otherwise known as Texas Light Sweet, OPEC Reference Basket (ORB) and Dubai Crude are other major benchmarks or references. The deposits for West Texas Intermediate are found in Texas and Mexico whereas for OPEC Reference Basket oil is sourced from Bonny light (Nigeria), Arab light (Saudi Arabia), Basra light (Iraq), Saharan blend (Algeria) and Minas (Indonesia). Although, Brent blend is graded as a light crude oil, it is not as light as WTI.
- Nigerian Light Crude Oil is a type of sweet light crude oil that is highly sought after in the global market. It is extracted from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and is known for its low sulfur content, making it a cleaner fuel compared to other crude oils, Bonny light oil has an API of 32.9.
