Definitions, Sources and Explanatory Notes

 Category:   Petroleum Consumption/Sales
 Topic:   Sales of Fuel Oil and Kerosene: by End Use

  Definitions

Key Terms Definition
All Other Sales for all other energy-consuming sectors not included elsewhere.
Commercial An energy-consuming sector that consists of service-providing facilities and equipment of nonmanufacturing businesses; Federal, State, and local governments; and other private and public organizations, such as religious, social, or fraternal groups. The commercial sector includes institutional living quarters. Common uses of energy associated with this sector include space heating, water heating, air conditioning, lighting, refrigeration, cooking and running a wide variety of other equipment.
Distillate Fuel Oil A general classification for one of the petroleum fractions produced in conventional distillation operations. It includes diesel fuels and fuel oils. Products known as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 diesel fuel are used in on-highway diesel engines, such as those in trucks and automobiles, as well as off-highway engines, such as those in railroad locomotives and agricultural machinery. Products known as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 fuel oils are used primarily for space heating and electric power generation.
Electric Power An energy-consuming sector that consists of electricity only and combined heat and power (CHP) plants whose primary business is to sell electricity, or electricity and heat, to the public -- i.e., NAICS 22 plants. Volumes directly imported and used by the electric power companies are included.
Farm An energy-consuming sector that consists of establishments where the primary activity is growing crops and/or raising animals. Energy use by all facilities and equipment at these establishments is included, whether or not it is directly associated with growing crops and/or raising animals. Common types of energy-using equipment include tractors, irrigation pumps, crop dryers, smudge pots, and milking machines. Facility energy use encompasses all structures at the establishment, including the farm house.
Industrial An energy-consuming sector that consists of all facilities and equipment used for producing, processing, or assembling goods. The industrial sector encompasses the following types of activity: manufacturing and mining. Overall energy use in this sector is largely for process heat and cooling and powering machinery, with lesser amounts used for facility heating, air conditioning, and lighting. Fossil fuels are also used as raw material inputs to manufactured products.
Kerosene A petroleum distillate that boils at a temperature between 300 and 550 degrees Fahrenheit, that has a flash point higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit by ASTM Method D 56, that has a gravity range between 40 to 46 degrees API, and that has a burning point in the range of 150 degrees to 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Included are the two classifications recognized by ASTM Specification D 3699: No. 1-K and No. 2-K, and all grades of kerosene called range or stove oil which have properties similar to No. 1 fuel oil, but with a gravity of about 43 degrees API and a maximum end-point of 625 degrees Fahreneit. Kerosene is used in space heaters, cook stoves, and water heaters and is suitable for use as an illuminant when burned in wick lamps.
Military An energy-consuming sector that consists of the U.S. Armed Forces, Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), and all branches of the Department of Defense (DOD).
No. 1 Distillate A light petroleum distillate that can be used as either a diesel fuel (see No. 1 Diesel Fuel) or a fuel oil.
  • No. 1 Diesel Fuel: A light distillate fuel oil that has distillation temperatures of 550 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90-percent point and meets the specifications defined in ASTM Specification D 975. It is used in high-speed diesel engines generally operated under frequent speed and load changes, such as those in city buses and similar vehicles.
  • No. 1 Fuel Oil: A light distillate fuel oil that has distillation temperatures of 400 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10-percent recovery point and 550 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90-percent point and meets the specifications defined in ASTM Specification D 396. It is used primarily as fuel for portable outdoor stoves and portable outdoor heaters.
  • No. 2 Diesel Fuel A fuel that has distillation temperatures of 500 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10-percent recovery point and 640 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90-percent recovery point and meets the specifications defined in ASTM Specification D 975. It is used in high-speed diesel engines that are generally operated under uniform speed and load conditions, such as those in railroad locomotives, trucks, and automobiles.
    No. 2 Diesel Fuel, High Sulfur No. 2 diesel fuel that has a sulfur level above 500 ppm.
    No. 2 Diesel Fuel, Low Sulfur No. 2 diesel fuel that has a sulfur level between 15 ppm and 500 ppm (inclusive). It is used primarily in motor vehicle diesel engines for on-highway use.
    No. 2 Diesel Fuel, Ultra Low Sulfur No. 2 diesel fuel that has a sulfur level no higher than 15 ppm. It is used primarily in motor vehicle diesel engines for on-highway use.
    No. 2 Distillate A petroleum distillate that can be used as either a diesel fuel (see No. 2 Diesel Fuel) or a fuel oil (see No. 2 Fuel Oil).
    No. 2 Fuel Oil (Heating Oil) A distillate fuel oil that has a distillation temperature of 640 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90-percent recovery point and meets the specifications defined in ASTM Specification D 396. It is used in atomizing type burners for domestic heating or for moderate capacity commercial/industrial burner units.
    No. 4 Fuel Oil A distillate fuel oil made by blending distillate fuel oil and residual fuel oil stocks. It conforms with ASTM Specification D 396 or Federal Specification VV-F-815C and is used extensively in industrial plants and in commercial burner installations that are not equipped with preheating facilities. It also includes No. 4 diesel fuel used for low- and medium-speed diesel engines and conforms to ASTM Specification D 975.
    Off-Highway An energy-consuming sector that consists of:

  • Construction: Facilities and equipment including earthmoving equipment, cranes, stationary generators, air compressors, etc.
  • Other: All off-highway uses other than construction. Includes logging, scrap and junk yards, and refrigeration units on trucks.
  • Oil Company An energy-consuming sector that consists of drilling companies, pipelines or other related oil companies not engaged in the selling of petroleum products. Includes fuel oil that was purchased or produced and used by company facilities for operation of drilling equipment, other field or refinery operations, and space heating at petroleum refineries, pipeline companies, and oil-drilling companies. Sales to other oil companies for field use are included, but sales for use as refinery charging stocks are excluded.
    On-Highway (Diesel) An energy-consuming sector that consists of motor vehicles: automobiles, trucks, and buses. Vehicles used in the marketing and distribution of petroleum products is also included.
    Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD): PADD 1 (East Coast):
       PADD 1A (New England): Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont.
       PADD 1B (Central Atlantic): Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania.
       PADD 1C (Lower Atlantic): Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia.
    PADD 2 (Midwest): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin.
    PADD 3 (Gulf Coast): Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas.
    PADD 4 (Rocky Mountain): Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming.
    PADD 5 (West Coast): Alaska (North Slope and Other Mainland), Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington.
    Railroad An energy-consuming sector that consists of all railroads for any use, including that used for heating buildings operated by railroads.
    Residential An energy-consuming sector that consists of living quarters for private households. Common uses of energy associated with this sector include space heating, water heating, air conditioning, lighting, refrigeration, cooking, and running a variety of other appliances. Sales to farmhouses are reported under "Farm" and sales to apartment buildings are reported under "Commercial."
    Residual Fuel Oils The topped crude of refinery operations, which includes No. 5 and No. 6 fuel oils, as defined in ASTM Specification D 396 and Federal Specification, VV-F-815C; Navy Special fuel oil as defined in Military Specification MIL-F-859E including Amendment 2 (NATO symbol F-77); and Bunker C fuel oil. Residual fuel oil is used for the production of electric power, space heating, vessel bunkering, and various industrial purposes.
    United States The 50 States and the District of Columbia.
    Vessel Bunkering An energy-consuming sector that consists of commercial or private boats, such as pleasure craft, fishing boats, tugboats, and ocean-going vessels, including vessels operated by oil companies. Excluded are volumes sold to the U.S. Armed Forces.

    For definitions of related energy terms, refer to the EIA Energy Glossary.

      Sources

    Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-821, "Annual Fuel Oil and Kerosene Sales Report" ( Form/Instructions ,   Background, Survey Methodology and Statistical Details ).

    Kerosene data are based on data from the Energy Information Administration's Petroleum Supply Annual, Volume 1.

      Explanatory Notes

  • For further explanations on revised data and adjustments, see Technical Note 3 in the Fuel Oil and Kerosen Sales report.
  • Respondents to the EIA-821 survey were instructed to report all volumes in accordance with what the product was sold as, regardless of the actual specifications of that product. For example, if a No. 2 distillate was sold as a heating oil or fuel oil, the volume would be reported in the category "No. 2 Fuel Oil" even if the product conformed to the higher specification of a diesel fuel.
  • Beginning with 2006 data, the commercial No. 2 distillate category has been changed to reflect the addition of ultra low sulfur diesel. Beginning 2006, ultra low sulfur diesel and low sulfur diesel data added together will be equivalent to prior years low sulfur diesel.
  • Beginning in 2001 "Electric Power" has replaced "Electric Utility" to ensure that products sold to/used by both utility and nonutility power producers are included.
  • Beginning in 1993 commercial and industrial "No. 2 Diesel" was broken down into "No. 2 Low Sulfur Diesel" and "No. 2 High Sulfur Diesel."
  • Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.
  • Due to updated program methodology and revised data, 2008 through 2011 Sales and Adjusted Sales numbers have been revised since they were first published. We have created an excel file Fuel Oil and Kerosene Sales Data that shows the differences between the original and revised published data for your convenience.