Sweet crude oil is a type of petroleum. The New York Mercantile Exchange designates petroleum with less than 0.5% sulfur as sweet. Petroleum containing higher levels of sulfur is called sour crude oil. Sweet crude oil contains small amounts of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. High-quality, low-sulfur crude oil is commonly used for processing into gasoline and is in high demand, particularly in industrialized nations. Light sweet crude oil is the most sought-after version of crude oil as it contains a disproportionately large fraction that is directly processed (fractionation) into gasoline (naphtha), kerosene, and high-quality diesel (gas oil). The term sweet originates from the fact that a low level of sulfur provides the oil with a relatively sweet taste and pleasant smell, compared to sulfurous oil. Nineteenth-century prospectors would taste and smell small quantities of oil to determine its quality. Producers Producers of sweet crude oil include: Asia/Pacific: The Far East/Oceania: Australia Brunei China India Indonesia Malaysia New Zealand Vietnam The Middle East Iraq Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates North America: Canada United States of America Europe: Russia Azerbaijan The North Sea area: Norway United Kingdom (Brent Crude) England Scotland Africa: North Africa: Algeria Libya Western Africa Nigeria Ghana Central Africa Angola Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo South Sudan South America: The Guianas: Suriname, Guyana Basin Andean Region Colombia Peru Southern Cone Argentina Brazil Pricing The term "price of oil", as used in the U.S. media, generally means the cost per barrel (42 U.S. gallons) of West Texas Intermediate Crude, to be delivered to Cushing, Oklahoma during the upcoming month. This information is available from NYMEX or the U.S. Energy Information Administration. See also Petroleum Classification Light crude oil Sour crude oil Mazut List of crude oil products Oil price increases since 2003 References External links EIA oil prices NYMEX website Petroleum