1. What It Is:
Fuel oil is a fractional distillation product of crude oil, used primarily for power generation, heating, marine fuel, and industrial applications. It ranges from light to heavy grades based on viscosity and sulfur content.
2. Main Grades:
- Distillate Fuel Oils:
No. 1: Similar to kerosene; used in portable heaters
No. 2: Diesel-like; used in home heating and some engines
- Residual Fuel Oils:
No. 4: Blend of distillate and residual; used in industrial burners
No. 5: Heavier; needs preheating
- Marine Grades:
MGO (Marine Gas Oil)
MDO (Marine Diesel Oil)
IFO (Intermediate Fuel Oil): IFO 180, IFO 380
HFO (Heavy Fuel Oil): High-sulfur or low-sulfur variants
3. Key Properties:
- Viscosity: Increases with heavier grades
- Sulfur content: Varies from <0.5% (low-sulfur) to >3.5% (high-sulfur)
- Energy content: ~39–41 MJ/kg
- Requires heating for storage and use in heavy grades
4. Applications:
- Marine fuel for ships (bunkering)
- Power generation in thermal plants
- Industrial heating in boilers, furnaces
- Bitumen & petrochemical feedstock (in some grades)
5. Regulations:
- IMO 2020 cap: Marine fuels limited to 0.5% sulfur (unless scrubbers are used)
- Low-sulfur fuels increasingly used to meet air quality standards
