In any petroleum product, a high sulphur content is considered undesirable. Sulphur in diesel fuels is claimed to aggravate problems of wear and deposit. With residual oils used in some metallurgical operations, the sulphur combustion products can have an adverse effect on the metal. In combustion equipment, the oxides of sulphur together with water vapour can lead to undesirable acid condensatlon on cool metal surfaces.

The more general problem is air pollution. Local and national legislation present the oil industry with a continuing demand for fuels of lower and lower sulphur content. Best use must therefore be made of crude oils of inherently low sulphur content. Desulphurising processes are comnonly used for distillates and are available for residual products. Such processes however tend to add significantly to produetion costs.