BITUMEN

FUEL OIL

BITUMEN is a black or dark-colored (solid, semi-solid, viscous), amorphous, cementitious material that can be found in different forms, such us rock asphalt, natural BITUMEN , tar and BITUMEN derived from oil, which is referred to as petroleum bitumen. In general, the term “BITUMENs materials” is used to denote substances in which bitumen is present or from which it can be derived.

The primary use (70%) of asphalt is in road construction, where it is used as the glue or binder mixed with aggregate particles to create asphalt concrete. Its other main uses are for bituminous waterproofing products, including production of roofing felt and for sealing flat roofs.

FUEL OIL , also called furnace oil, fuel consisting mainly of residues from crude-oil distillation. It is used primarily for steam boilers in power plants, aboard ships, and in industrial plants. Commercial FUEL OILs usually are blended with other petroleum fractions to produce the desired viscosity and flash point.

Furnace oil consists largely of residues from crude oil refining. These are blended with other suitable gas oil fractions in order to achieve the viscosity required for convenient handling. As a residue product, fuel oil is the only refined product of significant quantity that commands a market price lower than the cost of crude oil.