Types of Oil and Their Properties
Type 2: Light Oils (Diesel, No. 2 Fuel Oil, Light Crudes)
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| Fig.1Light Oil UCSB Geog Dept. (2001) |
A general summary of how light oil can affect shorelines (taken from NOAA, 2001):
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Light oils are moderately volatile and will leave residue (up to one-third of spill amount) after a few days.
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They contain moderate concentrations of toxic (soluble) compounds.
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If spilled, these oils can pose long-term contamination problems of intertidal species and habitats.
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However, the clean up of this oil type can be very effective.
| Field-Determined Oil Type | Designation | Representative Oils | Diagnostic Properties | Physical / Chemical Properties | |||||
| B | Non-sticky oils. | Medium to heavy paraffin-base refined and crude oil. | Moderate to high viscosity, waxy or oily feel, can be rinsed from surfaces by low pressure water flushing. | Generally removable from surfaces, penetration of substrates variable, toxicity variable. | |||||
| Tab.1Type 2 - Light Fuel Oils (Breuel, 1981) | |||||||||
