Liquefied Petroleum Gases

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is the generic name for commercial propane and commercial butane. Petrojam supplies both grades to the domestic market. These are hydrocarbon products derived from the processing of crude oil. The process of light end fractionization splits the naphtha cut (from the crude oil) into propane and butane (LPG) for gasoline blending.

Commercial Propane predominantly consists of hydrocarbons containing three carbon atoms; however propane (C3H8) is the main component. Commercial Butane predominantly consists of hydrocarbons containing four carbon atoms mainly n- and iso – butanes (C4H10). Both have the special property of becoming liquid at atmospheric temperature if moderately compressed, and reverting to gases when the pressure is sufficiently reduced. This liquid state is an advantage in transporting and storing these products. In the liquid state they are roughly 250 times as dense as they are when they are gases. Butane is usually supplied to customers in cylinders. Propane can be supplied in cylinders or in bulk for storage in tanks at the customers’ premises.

Individual LPG products have distinct uses. For example, propane is widely used as a fuel in the commercial and industrial sectors, while Butane is mainly used as cooking gas for residential users.

Motor Gasoline

To produce motor gasoline the naphtha cut is de-ethanized, de-butanized and split into light and heavy virgin naphthas to produce motor gasoline. Petrojam produces two grades of (unleaded) E10 gasoline: E10 87 and E10 90. E10 gasoline is gasoline blended with 10% ethanol alcohol. This replaced the additive MTBE in November 2009.

Motor gasoline is chiefly used to fuel automobiles and light trucks for road use. Smaller quantities are used for off- highway driving, boats, recreational vehicles, and various farm and other equipment.

Kerosene

Kerosene falls within the light distillate range of refinery output that includes some diesel fuel, jet fuel, and other light fuel oils. The kerosene sidestream is hydrofined and run down to tankage as dual purpose kero/turbo fuel.

Kerosene is used for in Jamaica mainly as a cooking fuel and in lamps.

Jet Fuel

The Jet Fuel sold at our airports is a kerosene-based fuel produced in the same way as Kerosene under stricter quality requirements for use in aircrafts.

Automotive Diesel Oil

Auto Diesel Oil is produced by blending a part or all of the kerosene sidestream with the gas oil sidestream. Diesel fuel is used to power diesel engines in buses, trucks, automobiles, and other machinery. It is also used to fire industrial and electric utility boilers.

Heavy Fuel Oil

Heavy fuel oil otherwise called residual fuel oil is comprised mainly of atmospheric pipestill bottoms blended with heavy virgin naphtha and vacuum gas oil to produce the final heavy fuel oil product.

The primary market for this product is the electric utility companies who use residual fuel oil to generate electricity. Much of the capacity for electricity generation is oil-fired, so petroleum use by utilities is expected to increase along with electricity demand. Presently, this sector depends on petroleum for about 98% percent of its total energy requirements.

Residual fuel oil is also used as bunker fuel (fuel for ships) and industrial boiler fuel.

Asphalt

The vacuum pipestill produces two grades of penetration asphalt from the atmospheric pipestill bottoms. Petrojam manufactures two grades of Penetration asphalt – 60/70 and 85/100. We also manufacture RS-1 and CRS-1 Emulsion asphalts which are byproducts of the penetration asphalt.

Asphalt is used in the construction of roads; on roofs as a sealant and to water proof surfaces.