WHAT IS BITUMEN?
Bitumen which is commonly known as Asphalt refers to a substance produced through the distillation of crude oil. Bitumen is known for its waterproofing and adhesive properties and is commonly used in the construction industry, notably for roads and highways. Bitumen is composed of complex hydrocarbons and contains elements like calcium, iron, sulfur, and hydrogen. Production occurs through distillation, which removes lighter crude oil components like gasoline and diesel, leaving the heavier bitumen behind. Deposits can also occur naturally at the bottom of ancient lakes, where prehistoric organisms have decayed and been subjected to heat and pressure.
TYPES OF BITUMEN
- Oxidized Bitumen: This is obtained after the refinery bitumen is further treated by the introduction of processed air. The air is introduced under pressure into soft bitumen. Compounds of higher molecular weight are formed by the reaction of this introduced oxygen and bitumen components. Oxidized bitumen is used in industrial applications such as roofing and coating for pipes.
- Penetration Grade Bitumen: The penetration grade bitumen is refinery bitumen that is manufactured at different viscosities. The penetration test is carried out to characterize the bitumen based on its hardness. Thus, it has the name penetration bitumen. The penetration bitumen grades range from 15 to 450 for road bitumen. But the most commonly used range is 25 to 200. This is acquired by controlling the test carried out i.e. the distillation process.
- Cutback Bitumen: These grade of bitumen comes under penetration grade bitumen. They have a temporarily reduced viscosity due to the introduction of a volatile oil. The volatile material is evaporated after the application and bitumen gain its original viscosity.
- Bitumen Emulsion: This type of bitumen forms a two-phase system with two immiscible liquids. One of them is dispersed as fine globules within the other liquid. When discrete globules of bitumen are dispersed in a continuous form of water, bitumen emulsion is formed. This is a form of penetration grade bitumen that is mixed and used for laying purposes.
- Polymer-Modified Bitumen: This is the type of bitumen obtained by the modification of strength and the rheological properties of the penetration graded bitumen.
BITUMEN TRADE PROCESS
- CIF: The seller handles everything from loading the vessel, paying for insurance and shipping the product to the country the buyer wants it delivered.
- FOB: The seller is responsible for handling the transportation of the goods to the port of shipment and loading cost. Once the goods are loaded on the ship, all liabilities transfer to the buyer.
- Tanker Take Over (TTO): The buyer takes over the hiring of a loaded tanker along with the product it contains.
- Tanker To Tanker (TTT): The buyer hires his vessel and uses the same to purchase products from the seller.