U.S. Navy Ship Salvage Manual Volume 6 - Oil Spill Response

S0300-A6-MAN-060mented crude oils. Appendix F describes the general characteristics of crude oils from variousproducing regions.2-2.4 Petroleum Distillates. Petroleum distillates consist of lighter petroleum fractions andinclude substances such as gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, diesel fuels and some fuel oils. Somepetroleum distillates contain additives, such as the lead and phosphorous compounds in gasoline.Because of their low boiling point range, petroleum distillates evaporate rapidly and are less viscousthan residual oils and most crude oils. Petroleum distillates are sometimes divided into lightand heavy distillates. Light distillates, such as gasoline, kerosene, jet fuels and light diesel fuels,have boiling points lower than 350° F and specific gravity generally less than 0.81. Heavy distillates,such as fuel oils and heavy diesel fuels, have boiling points greater than 350°F and specificgravity greater than 0.81.2-2.5 Lubricating Oils. Lubricating oils are separated from crude oil by the distillation process,but tend to be relatively involatile. Spilled lubricating oils can be expected to remain on the seasurface. Lubricating oil spills may consist of clean oil from ruptured tanks or shipping containersor waste oil, i.e., oil that has been used to lubricate machinery. Waste oil will contain considerablequantities of suspended solids, including metals and oxidized material. Spills of waste oil resultfrom ship damage that penetrates machinery space bilges or waste oil tanks or from unauthorizeddischarges.2-2.6 Residual Fuels. Residual fuels or black oils, are distillation residues or blends of residuewith distillates. Residual oils are used as fuel for ships, power plants and heating systems and areshipped and stored in bulk. They are generally very viscous with specific gravity approaching orsometimes exceeding that of seawater. When spilled, residual oils behave like weathered crudeoil.2-2.7 Nonpetroleum Oils. Most oil carried by sea is petroleum or petroleum-derived, but significantquantities of animal and vegetable oil are carried in bulk. The nonpetroleum oils carried bytankers in bulk are shown in Table 2-2.Table 2-2. Nonpetroleum Oils Shipped in Bulk.Animal Oil Coumarone Oil Mustard Seed Oil Safflower Seed Oil Vegetable OilCaarnation Oil Fish Oil Olive Oil Soybean Oil Whale OilCoconut Oil Groundnut Oil Palm Oil Sperm Oil Corn OilLinseed Oil Pine Oil Sunflower Seed Oil Cottonseed Oil Menhaden OilRapeseed OilTung Oil2-3 FATE OF OILNatural seeps constantly release small amounts of oil at steady rates into the marine environment.The oceans assimilate this oil through natural processes. These seeps affect the ocean very differentlyfrom accidental and unauthorized releases of large quantities of oil that occur in a relativelyshort period and overwhelm the natural ability of the oceans to assimilate oil.2-7