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Showing posts from June, 2011

Heating Oil

Refiners make heating oil from crude oil, which is also the raw material for other petroleum products such as gasoline and jet fuel . Approximately seven percent of American households - some 8.5 million in total, with nearly one-third in the Northeastern states - rely on heating oil to keep warm in winter. Late summer is a good time for consumers to further winterize their homes to help reduce fuel use (and save money) and to explore options for purchasing winter supplies, including seasonal contracts with heating oil companies that may offer price advantages. Heating Oil Prices are Linked to Crude Oil Prices Heating oil prices are linked to crude oil prices. Crude oil is the source of a number of important fuels, including gasoline, heating oil and diesel. Because these fuels all have the same starting point, refineries must decide what to produce when, based on a mix of supply and demand calculations. The price a refiner pays for crude oil is the chief factor deter...

Oil Sampling Do's and Don'ts

People love “do’s and don’ts” lists. A quick Google search will yield 10.9 million hits for what to do and not do. A quick scan through the endless supply of D&D lists will show that many of the subjects people feel the need on which to provide unsolicited consulting really don’t have a defined method of approach beyond common sense. For example, the do’s and don’ts of air travel barely stretch outside the realm of common sense. Advice such as “Do not place your firearm in your carry-on luggage” or “Do not smoke while in the aircraft” goes without saying. Then there are the do and do-not-do lists for topics that are highly subjective such as fashion (Don’t wear white after Labor Day). Thankfully, in the realm of oil analysis and machinery lubrication, few do’s and don’ts can be considered subjective. In this case, we’re talking about what to do and not do related to oil sampling for analysis. These simple rules will make or break the integrity of your sample, which is meant to driv...