A glossary of common terms and abbreviations used in the industry, with links to more in-depth articles on key words
K factor - a measure of the aromaticity/paraffinicity of a crude oil or of a crude oil fraction
Kebco (crude) - a medium, sour crude grade produced in Kazakhstan
Kern River (crude) - a very heavy, sour crude grade produced in California, in the US
Kero - short for kerosene
Kerosene - a distillation cut primarily comprised of molecules with 9 to 12 carbon atoms. The Kerosene distillation cut boils between 330 and 550 F)
Kerosene hydrotreater - (KHT) a refinery process unit that treats kerosene, primarily from atmospheric distillation, to reduce its sulfur content
Kerosene merox - a proprietary UOP technology that selectively sweetens petroleum products by oxidizing the foul smelling mercaptans into the sweeter disulphides which remain in the product, leaving the total sulfur content the same
Khafji (crude) - a heavy, sour crude grade from the Neutral Zone
KHT - (Kerosene hydrotreater) a refinery process unit that treats kerosene, primarily from atmospheric distillation, to reduce its sulfur content
Kikeh (crude) - a medium, sweet crude grade from Malaysia
Kimanis (crude) - a light, sweet crude grade from Malaysia
Kirkuk (crude) - a medium, sour crude grade from Iraq
Kissanje (crude) - a medium, sweet crude grade from Angola
Knocking - a phenomenon that occurs in a gasoline engine if the fuel used does not have a high enough octane rating
Kole (crude) - a medium, sweet crude grade from Cameroon
Kumkol (crude) - a light, sweet crude grade from Kasakhstan
Kutubu (crude) - a light, sweet crude grade from Papua New Guinea
Kuwait (crude) - a medium, sour crude grade from Kuwait
Kw - a measure of the aromaticity/paraffinicity of a crude oil or of a crude oil fraction