Light Crude Oil

Light crude oil is the fraction of the barrel that refiners value most. It is rich in the lighter hydrocarbons that become gasoline, jet fuel and diesel, and it yields a high share of valuable products with comparatively simple processing. INTBES supplies it at an API gravity of 33–38, which places it firmly in the light, easy-to-run category and makes it a straightforward feedstock for refineries operating a straight-run configuration.

Because the barrel is light and low in sulfur, it needs less conversion capacity than a heavy grade. That matters to a refiner running tight margins: the same distillation train produces more high-value product per tonne of crude, and the downstream units are not forced to run flat out to keep the balance.

Specification

Every cargo is sold against a written specification confirmed before loading. The headline figures for this grade are:

• API gravity — 33–38°
• Form — crude oil, shipped as loaded
• Sulfur, density, pour point, water and sediment — reported in the assay accompanying the commercial offer
• Minimum order quantity — 50,000 MT
• Delivery — bulk cargo, terms by agreement

Assay data is issued before the contract is signed, not after the cargo is loaded, so the buyer’s technical team can confirm the barrel against refinery configuration before committing.

Why refiners choose this grade

A light, low-viscosity crude needs less conversion capacity than a heavy one. There is no coker, no hydrocracker and no expensive desalting headache — atmospheric distillation alone recovers the bulk of the value. That makes this grade attractive to refiners that want to maximise gasoline and middle-distillate output without running their conversion units flat out, and it is equally attractive to traders blending a lighter component into a heavier stream.

Its low sulfur content also helps refiners stay inside tightening fuel specifications. Where a heavy sour barrel forces investment in desulfurisation, a light sweet barrel reduces the load on hydrotreating and lowers the emissions profile of the finished fuel.

Applications and market

The grade feeds three main channels. Refineries take it as a distillation feedstock for gasoline and middle distillates. Traders use it as a blending component to lift the gravity and cut the sulfur of a heavier cargo. Petrochemical producers take the light ends for naphtha and downstream chemicals. Demand is strongest in markets with a large transport fuel pool and a refining sector able to process light barrels efficiently.

Supply and logistics

Cargoes are traded in bulk. Loading port, laycan, Incoterm (FOB, CFR, CIF, DAP) and inspection are agreed in the offer. The shipment travels with a certificate of quantity and a certificate of quality from an independent inspector, so the receiver can reconcile the bill of lading against the assay on arrival. Storage and blending at the discharge terminal are arranged with the buyer’s operator before the cargo is fixed.

Quality assurance

Each cargo is sampled at loading and tested for API gravity, sulfur, water content and sediment. The assay is issued before the vessel sails. If the result falls outside the agreed window, the cargo is not released, which protects the buyer from receiving a barrel that does not match the refinery’s configuration.

Frequently asked questions

What does API 33–38 mean in practice? It describes how light the crude is. The higher the number, the lighter the barrel and the more gasoline and middle distillate it can yield. 33–38 sits in the light category, suited to straight-run refining.

Is the sulfur content low? The grade is light and low in sulfur relative to heavy sour crudes. The exact figure is stated in the assay for each cargo, because it varies by load.

What is the minimum order? 50,000 MT per cargo. Smaller volumes are considered case by case for blending or trial cargoes.

Can the cargo be delivered on a specific date? Laycan windows are agreed in the offer. The desk confirms the loading window before the contract is signed, so the buyer can plan discharge and storage.

Request an offer

Send the discharge port, the volume and the required laycan, and the trading desk will return a specification, an indicative price and a loading window. For heavier grades, see heavy crude oil; for refined products, see export gas oil / diesel 10ppm.

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