Customs Tariff 

Chapter 27

Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of

their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes

1. This Chapter does not cover:

(a) Separate chemically defined organic compounds, other than pure methane and propane which are to be classified in heading 2711;

(b) Medicaments of heading 3003 or 3004; or

(c) Mixed unsaturated hydrocarbons of heading 3301, 3302 or 3805.

2. References in heading 2710 to "petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals" include not only petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals but also similar oils, as well as those consisting mainly of mixed unsaturated hydrocarbons, obtained by any process, provided that the weight of the non-aromatic constituents exceeds that of the aromatic constituents.

However, the references do not include liquid synthetic polyolefins of which less than 60% by volume distils at 300⁰C, after conversion to 1,013 millibars when a reduced-pressure distillation method is used (Chapter 39).

3. For the purposes of heading 2710, "waste oils" means waste containing mainly petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (as described in Note 2 to this Chapter), whether or not mixed with water. These include:

(a) Such oils no longer fit for use as primary products (for example, used lubricating oils, used hydraulic oils and used transformer oils);

(b) Sludge oils from the storage tanks of petroleum oils, mainly containing such oils and a high concentration of additives (for example, chemicals) used in the manufacture of the primary products; and

(c) Such oils in the form of emulsions in water or mixtures with water, such as those resulting from oil spills, storage tank washings, or from the use of cutting oils for machining operations.

SUB-HEADING NOTES

1. For the purposes of sub-heading 2701 11, "anthracite" means coal having a volatile matter limit (on a dry, mineral-matter-free basis) not exceeding 14%.

2. For the purposes of sub-heading 2701 12, "bituminous coal" means coal having a volatile matter limit (on a dry, mineral-matter-free basis) exceeding 14% and a calorific value limit (on a moist, mineral-matter-free basis) equal to or greater than 5,833 kcal/kg.

3. For the purposes of sub-headings 2707 10, 2707 20, 2707 30, 2707 40 and 2707 60, the terms "benzol (benzene)", "toluol (toluene)", "xylol (xylenes)", "naphthalene" and "phenols" apply to products which contain more than 50% by weight of benzene, toluene, xylenes, naphthalene or phenols, respectively.

4. For the purposes of sub-heading 2710 11, " light oils and preparations" are those of which 90% or more by volume (including losses) distil at 210C (ASTM D 86 method).

Supplementary Note:  

In this Chapter! the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:  

(a)       "motor spirit" means any hydrocarbon oil (excluding crude mineral oil) which has its flash point below 25°C and which either by itself or in admixture with any other substance, is suitable for use as fuel in spark ignition engines. "Special boiling point spirits (tariff item Nos. 2710 11 11, 2710 11 12 and 2710 11 13)" means light oils, as defined in Sub-heading Note 4, not containing any anti-knock preparations, and with a difference of not more than 60°C between the temperatures at which 5% and 90% by volume (including losses) distil;  

(b)       "natural gasoline liquid (NGL)" is a low-boiling liquid petroleum product extracted from Natural Gas;

(c) "superior kerosine oil (SKO)" means any hydrocarbon oil conforming to the Indian Standards Specification of Bureau of Indian Standards IS : 1459-1974 (Reaffirmed in the year 1996);

(d) "aviation turbine fuel (ATF)" means any hydrocarbon oil conforming to the Indian Standards Specification of Bureau of Indian Standards IS : 1571:1992:2000;

(e) "high speed diesel (HSD)" means any hydrocarbon oil conforming to the Indian Standards Specification of Bureau of Indian Standards IS: 1460:2000;

(f) "light diesel oil (LOO)" means any hydrocarbon oil conforming to the Indian Standards Specification of Bureau of Indian Standards IS: 1460;

(g) "fuel oil" means any hydrocarbon oil conforming to the Indian Standards Specification of Bureau of Indian Standards IS: 1593:1982 (Reaffirmed in the year 1997);

(h) "lubricating oil" means any oil, which is ordinarily used, for lubrication, excluding any hydrocarbon oil, which has its flash point below 93.3° Centigrade;

(i) "jute batching oil" and "textile oil" are hydrocarbon oils which have their flash point at or above 93.3°C, and is ordinarily used for the batching of jute or other textile fibres;

(j) the expression "petroleum jelly crude" (tariff item Nos. 2712 10 10) shall be taken to apply to petroleum jelly of a natural colour higher than 4.5 by the ASTM D 1500 method;

(k) for the purposes of these additional notes, the tests prescribed have the meaning hereby assigned to them:

(1) "Flash Point" shall be determined in accordance with the test prescribed in this behalf in the rules made under the Petroleum Act, 1934 '(30 of 1934);

(2) "Smoke Point" shall be determined in the apparatus known as the Smoke Point Lamp in the manner indicated in the Indian Standards Institution specification IS: 1448 (p. 31)-1967 as for the time being in force;

(3) "Final Boiling Point" shall be determined in the manner indicated in the Indian Standards Institution specification IS:1448 (p. 18)-1967 as for the time being in force;

(4) "Carbon Residue" shall be determined in the apparatus known as Ramsbottom Carbon Residue Apparatus in the manner indicated in the Indian Standards Institution specification 15:1448 (p. 8)-1967 as for the time being in force;

(5) "Colour Comparison Test" shall be done in the following manner, namely:

(i) first prepare a five per cent. weight by volume solution of Potassium Iodine (analytical reagent quality) in distilled water;

(ii) to this, add Iodine (analytical reagent quality) in requisite amount to prepare an exactly 0.04 normal Iodine solution;

(iii) thereafter, compare the colour of the mineral oil under test with the Iodine solution so prepared.