ESPO Crude Oil

The Eastern Siberia–Pacific Ocean oil pipeline (ESPO pipeline or ESPOOP, Russian: Нефтепровод "Восточная Сибирь - Тихий океан" (ВСТО)) is a pipeline system for exporting Russian crude oil to the Asia-Pacific markets (Japan, China and Korea). The pipeline is built and operated by Russian pipeline company Transneft.

ESPO crude has a density of 851 kg per cubic meter; its API gravity is 34.7° and the sulfur content is 0.535%, according to a detailed assay prepared by Platts and obtained by Oil Daily. This makes it of superior quality to Russia's standard Urals export blend, which is 31°- 33° API with a sulfur content ranging from 0.8% to as high as 1.8%.

Specifications

Technical specifications

PARAMETER	UNITS	METHOD	RESULT
Density at 15oC	Kg/L	ASTM D5002	0.8508
Specific Gravity at 60/60°F	Kg/L	ASTM D 5002	0.8512
API gravity	ASTM D 1250	34 - 35
Kinematic viscosity at 20°C	CST	ASTM D 445	6.949
Total acid Number	mg KOH/g	ASTM D 664	<0.050
Pour Point	°C	ASTM D 5853	<=-36
Water by distillation	mass %	ASTM D 4006	0.35
Sediment by extraction	mass %	ASTM D 473	0.01
Chloride salt content	mg/dm3	GOST 21534-75(A)	17
Organic chlorine content	mg/kg	ASTM D 4929(B)	*1
Sulphur content	mass %	ASTM D 4294	0.535
Hydrogen Sulphide	ppm	UOP 163	< 1
Mercaptan Sulphur	ppm	UOP 163	111
Ash content	mass %	ASTM D 482	0.011
Nickel	ppm	IP 470	4
Sodium	ppm	IP 470	1
Iron	ppm	IP 470	19
Copper	ppm	AAS	<1
Vanadium	ppm	IP 470	4
Calcium	ppm	IP 470	2
Paraffin Wax content	mass %	UOP 46	3.3
RVPE	kPa	ASTM D 5191	40.4
Asphaltenes (heptane insolubles) content	mass %	IP 143	0.2
Distillation	ASTM D 5236
Cut Range (°C)	Cum % vol
LPG	% vol	2.2
C5-65	% vol.	6.1
65-100	% vol.	9.8
100-150	% vol.	16.7
150-200	% vol.	25.1
200-250	% vol.	32.7
250-300	% vol.	42
300-350	% vol.	50.9
350-370	% vol.	54.2
370-475	% vol.	70
475-515	% vol.	74.6
515-525	% vol.	76
525-553	% vol	79.9