Sweet crude oil is a type ofpetroleum. TheNew York Mercantile Exchange designates petroleum with less than 0.5%sulfur assweet.[1][2]
Petroleum containing higher levels ofsulfur is calledsour crude oil.[3]
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Sweet crude oil contains small amounts ofhydrogen sulfide andcarbon dioxide. High-quality, low-sulfur crude oil is commonly used for processing intogasoline and is in high demand, particularly in 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) intogasoline (naphtha),kerosene, and high-qualitydiesel (gas oil).
The termsweet originates from the fact that a low level of sulfur provides the oil with a relatively sweet taste and pleasant smell, compared to sulfurous oil. Nineteenth-century prospectors would taste and smell small quantities of oil to determine its quality.[4]
This list is derived from standard industry assays:[5][6][7]
The term "price of oil", as used in the U.S. media, generally means the cost per barrel (42 U.S. gallons) ofWest Texas Intermediate Crude, to be delivered toCushing, Oklahoma during the upcoming month. This information is available fromNYMEX or the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
'Sweet' crude is defined as having a sulphur content of less than 0.5%.
Crudes are considered to besweet when the sulphur content does not exceed 0.5% andsour otherwise.
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