Heavy crude oil or
extra heavy crude oil is oil that is highly viscous, and cannot easily flow to production wells under normal reservoir conditions. It is referred to as "heavy" because its
density or
specific gravity is higher than that of
light crude oil. Heavy crude oil has been defined as any liquid petroleum with an
API gravity less than 20°. Physical properties that differ between heavy crude oils and lighter grades include higher
viscosity and
specific gravity, as well as heavier molecular composition. In 2010, the
World Energy Council defined extra heavy oil as crude oil having a gravity of less than 10° and a reservoir viscosity of no more than 10 000 centipoises. When reservoir viscosity measurements are not available, extra-heavy oil is considered by the WEC to have a lower limit of 4° °API. (i.e. with density greater than 1000 kg/m
3 or, equivalently, a specific gravity greater than 1 and a reservoir viscosity of no more than 10,000
centipoises. Heavy oils and asphalt are
dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs). They have a "low solubility and are with viscosity lower and density higher than water. "Large spills of DNAPL will quickly penetrate the full depth of the aquifer and accumulate on its bottom."