Technical Committee Analytics
Composition of light heating oil fuel - Grade 2004 -
With increasing significance of ecological fuels, it became important to investigate light heating oil in a
similar way, as it had been done already for diesel fuels produced by German refineries within the scope of
DGMK projects 583 and 583-1.
These investigations are carried out for the following reasons: basic components for middle distillates, used
for the production of diesel fuel, must comply with ever increasing requirements; the existing facilities for
hydrogenation can only be used in part for the provision of components for light heating oil, and therefore,
light heating oil is blended more and more from cracking process products.
Eleven heating oil samples from German refineries, one Austrian refinery and two from imported products
were investigated in this study. Only those samples of standard light heating oil were investigated, which
corresponded to DIN 51603-1 with a sulphur content of max. 0.2 weight %.
The investigation included chemical and physical parameters, which are important with regard to
applicability or ecological criteria.
The analytical results show, that composition and properties of the investigated heating oils stayed within a
certain range. The quality of all samples was within specification.