GOST 3900-85 PDF

Full title and description

GOST 3900-85 — Petroleum and petroleum products. Methods for determination of density. The standard specifies laboratory procedures (areometric and pycnometric as applicable in the 1985 edition) and calculation rules for determining the density (and conversion to reference temperature) of crude oil and liquid petroleum products.

Abstract

This national (USSR / Russian) standard establishes methods for measuring the density of petroleum and petroleum products using hydrometers (areometric method) and pycnometers where appropriate, including required equipment, sample preparation, measurement procedures, temperature correction to reference temperature (commonly 20 °C), calculation of results and presentation of data. It was originally approved in December 1985 and introduced on 1 January 1987; the edition comprises procedural details and normative references used in petroleum laboratory practice.

General information

• Status: Replaced / superseded (withdrawn from current use and superseded by GOST 3900-2022).
• Publication date: Approved 20 December 1985; put into effect 1 January 1987.
• Publisher: USSR State Committee for Standards (Gosstandart) / successive Russian standards bodies for distribution.
• ICS / categories: 75.080 — Petroleum products in general (ICS classification).
• Edition / version: Designation GOST 3900-85 (1985 edition, introduced 1987).
• Number of pages: 37 pages (typical published pagination for this edition).

Scope

Applies to laboratory determination of density (and relative density expressed at a reference temperature) of crude oil and a wide range of petroleum products. The standard covers areometric (hydrometer) measurement procedures, pycnometer methods where applicable, sample handling and temperature correction algorithms to report density at the reference temperature. It was used as the national reference for density measurement procedures until superseded by the 2022 revision of GOST 3900 which consolidates and updates measurement methods.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of specimen preparation and conditioning (temperature control, deaeration where required).
• Areometric method: use, calibration and reading of glass hydrometers (areometers) for petroleum products; corrections for temperature and instrument calibration.
• Pycnometric (pyknometer) method: instrument description, filling, weighing and calculation of density/relative density.
• Reference temperature conversion procedures (commonly to 20 °C) and formulae for correcting measured density to reference conditions.
• Required equipment specifications, tolerances and acceptable measurement uncertainty for laboratory practice.
• Reporting format for results, including units (kg/m3 or g/cm3), reference temperature and measurement conditions.

Typical use and users

Used by petroleum testing laboratories, quality control departments in refineries and fuel terminals, petrochemical laboratories, customs and trade laboratories handling petroleum product specifications, and standards bodies implementing material acceptance and product conformity checks. It has been referenced in laboratory procedures for fuel grading, product specification verification and commercial transactions where density is a contractual parameter.

Related standards

Commonly referenced and related documents include earlier national versions (GOST 3900-47), international methods such as ISO 3675 (hydrometer method) and ISO 3838 (pycnometer methods), and the later consolidated replacement GOST 3900-2022 which updates and harmonizes density determination methods for petroleum products. Normative references within the standard also include several GOSTs related to apparatus and test conditions.

Keywords

density; relative density; areometer; hydrometer; pycnometer; petroleum; petroleum products; oil; laboratory method; temperature correction; GOST 3900; density at 20 °C.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: GOST 3900-85 is a national standard titled "Petroleum and petroleum products. Methods for determination of density" that specified laboratory procedures (areometric and pycnometric) for measuring density of crude oil and petroleum products.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers sample preparation, required equipment (hydrometers/pycnometers), measurement procedures, temperature control and the calculations needed to report density at a specified reference temperature.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Petroleum testing laboratories, refinery QC, fuel distributors, customs/trade testing facilities and standards organizations involved in product conformity and commercial quality control.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 1985 edition (GOST 3900-85) has been superseded and replaced by GOST 3900-2022; the 1985 text is treated as replaced/withdrawn for current national practice. Users requiring up-to-date procedures should consult GOST 3900-2022.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it belongs to the family of GOST standards for petroleum and petroleum products (ICS 75.080) and is linked to other test-method standards and apparatus specifications (previously replacing GOST 3900-47 and referencing ISO petroleum density methods).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Density, relative density, areometer, hydrometer, pycnometer, petroleum, oil products, temperature correction (20 °C).