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Info Centre >> Fuel and Lube Oil Technical Manual >> 2. Fuel Oil - Characteristics >> 2.1 Terminology
Fuel Oil Terminology
Various grades of fuel are referred to by different names depending on the terminology of the supplier.
Gas oil or LFO is used in some smaller engines or those operated in environmentally-sensitive areas. This grade of fuel is marketed under various names including gas oil, bunker gas oil and marine gas oil. Such a fuel is a light distillate with a clear and bright appearance. It is a clean fuel in that it does not contain any residual fuel components. On the other hand, diesel fuel may contain a small amount of residual fuel and be dark or black in colour. It is known by various names including light diesel and marine distillate. Blended diesel oil does contain some residue and is frequently known as marine diesel oil.
A range of intermediate fuels is often available which have a higher viscosity than the cheapest distillate fuel available. They are supplied to a stated viscosity. Such products are given different designations depending on the supplier and include such terms as light marine fuel, intermediate fuels, thin fuel oils and interfuels. The maximum viscosity at 50°C in centiStokes is often suffixed to the designation IF. For example, IF 180 would be an interfuel with a maximum viscosity of 180 cSt at 50°C. The figure shows the fuel names used by some major oil companies.
Residual fuels are the highest viscosity and thus the cheapest and most common fuel available for use in large diesel engines. Suppliers of residual fuels or HFO use various names, including the terms bunker C fuel, heavy fuel oil, bunker fuel oil and marine fuel oil. The term HFO also covers some interfuels.