The density of refinery oil products varies from batch to batch due to factors such as crude oil density, production processes, and cost control. Therefore, the values in the table are for reference only. The actual density should be based on the product test report for that day.
Among the 46 types of diesel products sampled from 28 companies by Zhuochuang, diesel with a specific gravity between 0.81-0.83 g/cm³ accounted for 19.6% of the total sample, diesel with a specific gravity between 0.83-0.85 g/cm³ accounted for 60.87%, and diesel with a specific gravity above 0.85 g/cm³ also accounted for around 19.6%. Due to temperature differences during sampling, most refineries report standard densities, which are the densities exhibited at 20°C in the distillation range of the sample. According to recent customer feedback, there has been an increase in the phenomenon of diesel not being "fuel-efficient". Many customers suspect that the quality of locally refined diesel is poor. However, this lack of fuel efficiency is not a decline in quality; rather, it indicates that the quality of locally refined diesel has undergone significant upgrades.
Three years ago, the specific gravity of diesel produced by Shandong local refineries was mostly above 0.85 g/cm³, with some diesel having a specific gravity as high as 0.88 g/cm³ or even 0.89 g/cm³. Due to the high specific gravity, the components in the distillation range could burn more completely, making customers feel that the diesel was powerful during use. With the current increase in the proportion of crude oil refining in Shandong, the root cause of the high specific gravity has been addressed. Additionally, the proportion of catalytically cracked diesel and various heavy component diesels has significantly decreased, resulting in a significant reduction in the specific gravity of diesel after hydrogenation. Even if components such as catalytically cracked diesel and conventional diesel are hydrogenated again, their specific gravity generally decreases by 2-3 units due to their significantly lower density compared to previously.
However, from the actual usage experience of customers, factors that contribute to the feeling of "not being fuel-efficient" include not only the "natural" oil density but also objective factors such as vehicles, roads, and even weather. For example, a slight deviation in spark plug ignition timing and impurities in the air filter can lead to an increase in vehicle fuel consumption. Non-original fuel tanks that are not sealed can cause oil evaporation and loss.
Therefore, oil should not be purchased solely based on density.
However, in terms of advantages, low density is particularly favored by gas stations. For every specific gravity unit decrease in diesel, there is an additional 14-15 liters/ton. Based on the market price of 5.06 yuan/liter at Jingbo gas stations, this translates to an additional profit of approximately 70 yuan/ton. For a medium to large gas station that sells 200 tons of diesel per month, this could mean an additional profit of 14,000 yuan. Therefore, for gas stations, the smaller the specific gravity, the more guaranteed the profit. However, for consumers who are accustomed to diesel with a specific gravity of 0.85 or 0.86 g/cm³, diesel with a lower specific gravity may feel slightly uncomfortable for their normal use.
Strictly speaking, diesel with a reduced specific gravity has better cleaning performance. With the current trend in Shandong towards refining crude oil and refining equipment processes becoming more sophisticated, the decrease in diesel specific gravity is becoming a major trend. According to Zhuochuang's understanding, many end-users have stated that although the specific gravity of diesel has decreased compared to before, there is no significant difference in actual application. As market acceptance improves, the proportion of diesel with a specific gravity of 0.82-0.83 g/cm³ will gradually increase, and concerns about poor fuel efficiency after density reduction may gradually decrease. There is no significant difference in actual application.
