Petroleum Refining Definition History Processes Facts Britannica

Petroleum Refining Definition History Processes Facts Britannica The refining of crude petroleum owes its origin to the successful drilling of the first oil wells in ontario, canada, in 1858 and in titusville, pennsylvania, u.s., in 1859. prior to that time, petroleum was available only in very small quantities from natural seepage of subsurface oil in various areas throughout the world. Petroleum is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons that occur on earth in liquid, gaseous, or solid form. the term is often restricted to the liquid form, commonly called . but, as a technical term, petroleum also includes natural gas and the viscous or solid form known as bitumen, which is found in tar sands.

Petroleum Refining Definition History Processes Facts Britannica Petroleum refining is a continuous manufacturing process that is highly dependent on careful measurement of operating variables to influence product qualities and to control operating expenses. the conventional practice for the industry in the united states is to measure capacity by volume and to employ the english system for other operating. The petroleum refining process begins in the distilling column (3) with the separation of crude oil into cuts (gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, light gas oil, and heavy gas oil). almost all the other processes in the refinery (shown as gray boxes), such as catalytic cracking, are designed to make more gasoline, the most valuable cut, out of less valuable cuts such as heavy gas oil. the different. Petroleum consists basically of compounds of only two elements, carbon and hydrogen. because these elements combine in a large variety of complex ways, however, crude oils vary greatly in their chemical composition. their physical properties such as color, specific gravity, and viscosity also vary widely. Petroleum is an ingredient in thousands of everyday items. the gasoline that we depend on for transportation to school, work, or vacation comes from crude oil. a barrel of petroleum produces about 72 liters (19 gallons) of gasoline, and is used by people all over the world to power cars, boats, jets, and scooters.

Petroleum Refining Definition History Processes Facts Britannica Petroleum consists basically of compounds of only two elements, carbon and hydrogen. because these elements combine in a large variety of complex ways, however, crude oils vary greatly in their chemical composition. their physical properties such as color, specific gravity, and viscosity also vary widely. Petroleum is an ingredient in thousands of everyday items. the gasoline that we depend on for transportation to school, work, or vacation comes from crude oil. a barrel of petroleum produces about 72 liters (19 gallons) of gasoline, and is used by people all over the world to power cars, boats, jets, and scooters. Petroleum formed from the remains of tiny plants and animals that lived hundreds of millions of years ago. when these living things died, they sank into mud. as layers of mud and rock piled up, they pushed down on the lower layers. eventually this pressure and earth’s heat changed the plant and animal remains into petroleum. Refining breaks crude oil down into its various components, which are then selectively reconfigured into new products. petroleum refineries are complex and expensive industrial facilities. all refineries have three basic steps: separation. conversion. treatment.

Petroleum Refining Definition History Processes Facts 47 Off Petroleum formed from the remains of tiny plants and animals that lived hundreds of millions of years ago. when these living things died, they sank into mud. as layers of mud and rock piled up, they pushed down on the lower layers. eventually this pressure and earth’s heat changed the plant and animal remains into petroleum. Refining breaks crude oil down into its various components, which are then selectively reconfigured into new products. petroleum refineries are complex and expensive industrial facilities. all refineries have three basic steps: separation. conversion. treatment.

Petroleum Refining Definition History Processes Facts 47 Off