What is Kerosene?

Kerosene, also known as paraffin, lamp oil, and coal oil (an obsolete term), is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid majorly derived from petroleum and widely used as a fuel in the aviation industry as well as households. It is a thin, clear liquid that boils between 302°F and 527°F (150°C and 275°C). Kerosene can be extracted from coal, oil shale, and wood, but is primarily derived from refined petroleum.

Before electric lights became popular in Nigeria, kerosene was widely used in oil lamps and was one of the most important refinery products, with its annual production growing to approximately 1 billion gals (3.8 billion). Despite many homes being plumbed into the national grid for the supply of electricity, there are still a large number of homes that depend on their supply of kerosene despite it looking like an old-fashioned source of energy.

Types of Kerosene

1) 2-K: Type 2-K contains 0.30 percent sulphur by weight. This high sulphur content tends to adversely affect the wicking ability of the kerosene. This causes the need for frequent maintenance and cleaning if used in a kerosene heater. If you don’t perform maintenance often, the buildup of sulphur dioxide emissions can lead to fire or explosion. Type 2-K is known to emit more of a sulphurous odour, due to the higher concentration of sulphur in the fuel.

2) 1-K: The type 1-K kerosene contains 0.04 percent sulphur by weight. This is primarily used for all kerosene heaters. This type of kerosene is widely known as being refined enough to safely use with indoor heaters. Though cleaner than the 2-K type of kerosene, type 1-K still may emit harmful odours or vapours that can cause nausea. This type of kerosene can be very difficult to find.