Oil price

Fuel value and price
Further information: Gasoline and diesel usage and pricing

As of 2010, the density of petroleum diesel is about 0.832 kg/l (6.943 lb/US gal), about 12% more than ethanol-free petrol (gasoline), which has a density of about 0.745 kg/l (6.217 lb/US gal). About 86.1% of the fuel mass is carbon, and when burned, it offers a net heating value of 43.1 MJ/kg as opposed to 43.2MJ/kg for gasoline. However, due to the higher density, diesel offers a higher volumetric energy density at 35.86 MJ/L (128 700 BTU/US gal) vs. 32.18 MJ/L (115 500 BTU/US gal) for gasoline, some 11% higher, which should be considered when comparing the fuel efficiency by volume. The CO2 emissions from diesel are 73.25 g/MJ, just slightly lower than for gasoline at 73.38 g/MJ.[8] Diesel is generallysimpler to refine from petroleum than gasoline, and contains hydrocarbons having a boiling point in the range of 180-360°C (360-680°F). The price of diesel traditionally rises during colder months as demand for heating oil rises, which is refined in much the same way. Because of recent changes in fuel quality regulations, additional refining is required to remove sulfur, which contributes to asometimes higher cost. In many parts of the United States and throughout the United Kingdom and Australia,[9] diesel may be priced higher than petrol.[10] Reasons for higher-priced diesel include the shutdown of some refineries in the Gulf of Mexico, diversion of mass refining capacity to gasoline production, and a recent transfer to ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD), which causes infrastructuralcomplications.[11] In Sweden, a diesel fuel designated as MK-1 (class 1 environmental diesel) is also being sold; this is a ULSD that also has a lower aromatics content, with a limit of 5%.[12] This fuel is slightly more expensive to produce than regular ULSD.
Use as vehicle fuel

Unlike petroleum ether and liquefied petroleum gas engines, diesel engines do not use high-voltage spark ignition (sparkplugs). An engine running on diesel compresses the air inside the cylinder to high pressures and temperatures (compression ratios from 14:1 to 18:1 are common in current diesel engines); the engine generally injects the diesel fuel directly into the cylinder, starting a few degrees before top dead center (TDC) and continuing during the combustion event. The high temperatures inside the cylindercause the diesel fuel to react with the oxygen in the mix (burn or oxidize), heating and expanding the burning mixture to convert the thermal/pressure difference into mechanical work, i.e., to move the piston. Engines have glow plugs to help start the engine by preheating the cylinders to a minimum operating temperature. Diesel engines are lean burn engines[13], burning the fuel in more air than isrequired for the chemical reaction. They thus use less fuel than rich burn spark ignition engines which use a Stoichiometric air-fuel ratio (just enough air to react with the fuel). Because they have high compression ratios and no throttle, diesel engines are more efficient than many spark-ignited engines[citation needed].

Gas turbine internal combustion engines can also take diesel fuel, ascan some other types of internal combustion. External combustion engines can easily use diesel fuel as well.

This efficiency[14] and its lower flammability than gasoline[15] are the two main reasons for military use of diesel in armored fighting vehicles. Engines running on diesel also provide more torque, and are less likely to stall, as they are controlled by a mechanical or electronicgovernor[citation needed].

A disadvantage of diesel as a vehicle fuel in cold climates, compared to gasoline or other petroleum-derived fuels, is that its viscosity increases quickly as the fuel's temperature decreases, turning into a non-flowing gel (see Compression Ignition - Gelling) at temperatures as high as -19 °C (-2.2 °F) or -15 °C (5 °F), which cannot be pumped by regular fuel pumps....