Bitumen

Bitumen, a product used in almost all cities, is a durable and versatile chemical product. The questions are, “What is it?” and “What are the types of this product?”

A thick, black, and sticky substance derived from petroleum, is a durable and versatile chemical product. Its durability and versatility make it an essential material in building and infrastructure projects worldwide.

What is bitumen?

Bitumen is a blackish-brown, viscous hydrocarbon substance derived from petroleum that ranges from a liquid to a semi-solid consistency. This product primarily consists of asphaltene resin along with other petroleum compounds. Variations in its composition lead to different properties, making it versatile for various applications.

This substance occurs naturally in deposits such as oil sands and pitch lakes, where it is referred to as natural type. It can also be obtained as a byproduct of the refining process during the distillation of crude oil, known in this case as refined this product.

Bitumen vs. asphalt

Bitumen and asphalt are often mistaken for one another because both are widely used in construction, but they have distinct differences. This product is a crude oil byproduct known for its adhesive qualities and resistance to oil and water, making it essential for binding materials in projects like road paving and roofing.

In contrast, comparing these two products, asphalt is a manufactured material made by mixing bitumen with sand and other aggregates. This mixture is heated, dried, and applied using specialized machinery. The thickness of asphalt depends on its intended use—for instance, roads typically require thicker asphalt layers compared to shingles.

Bitumen’s formula and chemical composition

The Chemical Composition of this product is a complex mixture of organic compounds, primarily from paraffinic, aromatic, and naphthenic hydrocarbons. Bitumen chemical formula includes knowing about things like chemical composition, its main components, physical properties, and general composition.

Chemical composition

• Molecular Weight: Bitumen molecules range from 300 to 1500 Dalton.
• Molecular Types: Includes alkanes, cycloalkanes, aromatics, and hetero molecules.
• Elemental Analysis: Sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and metals affect behavior.
• Molecular Interactions: Heteroatoms influence material interactions.
• Variation by Source: Properties change based on crude oil source.

Main Components

• Saturates: Saturated hydrocarbons affect the material’s softening point.
• Naphthenic Aromatics: Partially hydrogenated polycyclic aromatic compounds.
• Polar Aromatics: High molecular weight phenols and carboxylic acids.
• Asphaltenes: High molecular weight phenols and heterocyclic compounds.

Physical properties

• Bitumen softens with heat and hardens when cooled.
• At high temperatures, it behaves as a Newtonian liquid with lower viscosity.
• It must be heated for handling and application.
• This product is visco-elastic, acting as a solid or liquid depending on load.
• Polar molecules make it adhesive and waterproof.
• Specifications focus on physical properties.
• Its properties can be modified at the refinery for specific uses.

General Composition

• Carbon: 85%
• Hydrogen: 10%
• Nitrogen: 0% to 2%
• Oxygen: 0% to 2%
• Sulfur: 0% to 9%
• Small amounts of metals: vanadium, iron, and nickel.

What is natural bitumen?

This product comes from two sources: Natural and Crude Oil Distilled. These two sources raise a couple of questions. What are the differences? How are they different in cost? What is the application of natural bitumen? What are the environmental impacts? In this section, these questions will be explained.

About Origin and Extraction, Natural type (Gilsonite) is sourced from deposits, while crude oil-based is derived through distillation. Relating Composition, Natural type contains more impurities like sulfur and heavy metals, whereas crude oil is more refined.

Regarding cost, Natural type is more expensive to extract due to impurities, while crude oil-based is cheaper to produce and to export type.

About Applications, both are used in road construction, but natural type is also used for waterproofing and drilling, whereas crude oil type can be further modified for various uses.

The last part is Environmental Impact. Natural type extraction can be more environmentally challenging, while crude oil type has a more controlled production process.

Bitumen types and General uses

What is the main use of bitumen? This is a question that people may have, but users know that Bitumen use and type is based on its purpose of using.

Based on general bitumen uses, this substance is used in civil engineering for road, runway, and platform construction, waterproofing, mastic flooring, canal lining, damp-proof courses, tank foundations, and joint filling in pavements.

Overall, the Types of this product and Their Applications are briefly explained based on their properties and applications and are offered in many companies like Kiapetro.

Gilsonite

• Properties: Shiny, hard, brittle
• Applications: Printing, painting, drilling, road construction

Penetration Grade Bitumen

• Properties: Classified by softness
• Applications: Road construction, waterproofing
• Grades: 40-50 (tropical), 60-70 (mild), 85-100 (cold).

Viscosity Grade Bitumen

• Properties: Classified by viscosity
• Applications: Road construction (hot and cold regions).
• Grades: VG-10, VG-20, VG-30, VG-40.

Emulsion Bitumen

• Properties: Low viscosity
• Applications: Spraying, pavement maintenance
• Types: Anionic and cationic

Cutback Bitumen

• Properties: Lower viscosity with solvents
• Applications: Primer sealing, cold climates
• Concerns: Environmental hazards

Oxidized Bitumen

• Properties: Durable, water-resistant
• Applications: Waterproofing, insulation, pipeline coatings

Performance Grade Bitumen (PG)

• Properties: Classified by temperature performance
• Applications: Road construction, pavement, crack sealing
• Grades: PG 64-10, PG 76-22

Manufacturing bitumen

Bitumen producers like Kiapetro produce bitumen from heavy crude oils, typically through distillation and aeration. These processes separate lighter fractions from the crude oil, leaving residues that form the base material for production. So, bitumen manufacturers use different methods.

Straight Run

Vacuum bottom or short residue with suitable penetration and viscosity can be directly used for paving. This method involves minimal refining, allowing the residue from distillation to be directly applied to roads or industrial uses.

Air Blowing

Air is blown through vacuum bottoms to increase the viscosity of this product by forming asphaltene molecules.

• Semi-Blowing (Air Rectification):
  • Batch Blowing: A specific volume of feedstock is heated in a reactor for 3-24 hours.
  • Continuous Blowing: The vacuum bottom is fed continuously into the reactor at a constant temperature, allowing for higher production efficiency.
• Fully Air Blowing: More air is blown through the feedstock to produce oxidized type, which has a higher viscosity and softening point.

Solvent Deasphalting

This process uses solvents such as propane or butane to mix with the vacuum bottom. This separates de-asphaltene oil and leaves a bitumen that has lower viscosity, higher ductility, and better temperature resistance.

Blending

Different types of this product are mixed to achieve the desired consistency. For example, mixing penetration type 40/50 with 200/300 to produce with a penetration value of 80/100. These methods refine this product for various uses, including paving, roofing, and other industrial applications.

Bitumen price

The price of this product is primarily influenced by crude oil prices and the balance of supply and demand in the market. In early 2020, prices dropped sharply due to reduced construction and industrial activity, leading to lower demand. The downward trend continued in 2021 but is expected to see an increase in 2025.

Key suppliers in the Middle East include Iran, Iraq, and Bahrain. Factors affecting of this product pricing in the region include:

• Global oil price fluctuations
• Regional sulfur fuel oil pricing
• Demand from countries like India
• The exchange rate of the Rial against the dollar
• Competitive pricing from markets such as Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Italy, and Greece
• Political instability in the Persian Gulf region
• Shipping costs
• Local competition between refineries

Note that another factor that also impacts the price is its quality, which is tested by several standard tests.

Why Kiapetro?

At Kiapetro, we are committed to providing premium bitumen products that cater to our client’s specific needs, whether for one-time purchases or recurring orders. Our focus is on delivering exceptional value without compromising on quality.

Kiapetro offers competitive pricing and superior quality, providing cost-effective solutions without compromising the excellence of our products. Our efficient and timely delivery process ensures that your orders arrive promptly and reliably.

We also provide flexible payment options, offering multiple payment stages to accommodate the needs of our clients. Specializing in PG and VG grades, including VG10, VG30, and more, we guarantee a wide range of tailored options. All of our products comply with international standards, ensuring consistent performance and quality.

FAQ

1. What is bitumen used for?

Industrial purposes

2. Is bitumen the same as tar?

No, they are different substances.

3. Does bitumen expire?

Yes. It has a limited shell life.