Characteristics of petroleum products

Petroleum is a primary energy source used in the production of fuels, a raw material for the chemical industry and a generator of special products for a wide variety of uses, including solvents, lubricants, waxes, kerosenes and bitumens.

Here, we only examine products directly extracted from petroleum in refining operations. A description of petrochemical compounds is obviously beyond the scope of this document.

It should also be stressed that petroleum products are highly complex mixtures of individual constituents, and therefore do not have strictly constant physical and chemical properties. These can vary within a more or less narrow range, but in any case are regulated by specifications which will be described in detail. Some examples of typical characteristics of commercial products will also be given.