Tipos de petroleo

Types of Oil Classification

Chemical Composition and Characteristics

• The classification of oil is influenced by the presence of various organic and inorganic chemical elements, which determine its specific characteristics such as color, density, and viscosity.

• Different criteria can be used for classification based on the predominant chemical composition, with common classifications being paraffinic, naphthenic, and mixed oils.

Types of Crude Oil Based on Density

• Crude oil can also be classified according to its density using the API gravity scale established by the American Petroleum Institute (API). Higher API gravity indicates lighter oil.

• The API gravity categories include:

• Extra heavy: Density ≥ 1.0 g/cm³ (API < 10)

• Heavy: Density between 1.0 g/cm³ and 0.92 g/cm³ (API 10 to 22.3)

• Medium: Density between 0.92 g/cm³ and 0.87 g/cm³ (API 22.3 to 31.1)

• Light: Density between 0.87 g/cm³ and 0.83 g/cm³ (API 31.1 to 39)

• Super light: Density < 0.83 g/cm³ (API >39)

Economic Implications of Oil Quality

• Lighter oils are more sought after in the market due to lower extraction and refining costs compared to heavier oils; thus, there is a direct relationship between oil gravity and quality/cost efficiency in processing them for use.

Sulfur Content Classification

• Crude oil is further classified based on sulfur content:

• Sweet crude contains less than 0.5% sulfur, making it high-quality oil suitable for gasoline production.

• Sour crude contains at least 1% sulfur, leading to higher refining costs; it is often used for producing distillates like diesel fuel due to its lower treatment cost requirements.

Oil Types in Mexico

Varieties Prepared for Export

• In Mexico, three main varieties of crude oil are prepared for export based on previous classifications:

• HMO Light: Density of API grade 33.6 with a sulfur content of weight percentage at around 1.3%.

• Malla Heavy: Density of API grade at approximately 22 with a sulfur content of about weight percentage at around 3.3%.

• Olmeca Super Light: Density at API grade of about 39.3 with a sulfur content around weight percentage at approximately .8%.

Global Reference Oils

• There are approximately 161 oil-producing regions worldwide that produce oils with varying characteristics; pricing often references nearby benchmark oils.

• Brent crude serves as a reference point derived from multiple fields in the North Sea while West Texas Intermediate represents U.S.-produced crude known for its higher quality compared to Brent.

• Dubai crude acts as a reference for production in regions towards the Pacific while Malaysian Tapis is referenced specifically for light crudes from that area as well as others globally where different qualities exist based on geographical proximity or extraction methods utilized during production processes.