Sweet crude oil (nonfiction): Difference between revisions
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'''Sweet crude oil''' is a type of petroleum. | [[File:Beatty_oil_well.jpg|thumb|Beatty oil well.]]'''Sweet crude oil''' is a type of petroleum. | ||
== Description == | == Description == | ||
Revision as of 11:46, 30 May 2016
Sweet crude oil is a type of petroleum.
Description
The New York Mercantile Exchange designates petroleum with less than 0.42% sulfur as sweet.
Petroleum containing higher levels of sulfur is called sour crude oil.
Sweet crude oil contains small amounts of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide.
High-quality, low-sulfur crude oil is commonly used for processing into gasoline and is in high demand, particularly in the industrialized nations.
Light sweet crude oil is the most sought-after version of crude oil as it contains a disproportionately large fraction that is directly processed (fractionation) into gasoline (naphtha), kerosene, and high-quality diesel (gas oil).
Origin of term 'sweet'
The term sweet originates from the fact that a low level of sulfur provides the oil with a mildly sweet taste and pleasant smell.
Nineteenth-century prospectors would taste and smell small quantities of oil to determine its quality.