An industrial plant that refines crude oil into petroleum products such as diesel, gasoline and heating oils. How is it possible to start with crude oil and end up with gasoline and all of these other products. Crude oil is converted to a refined product in a series of steps which include distillation, cracking, demetallisation, desulphurisation, deoxygenation, dearomatisation among. Vacuum distillation produces several types of gas oil. In the oil refining business, the cost of inputs crude oil and the price of outputs refined products are both highly volatile, influenced by global, regional, and local supply and demand changes. Refining is a process to split crude oil into its many parts or fractions which are then reprocessed into useful products.
These essential transportation fuels typically account for 75 percent of output. Watch our video and explore the animation to follow the transformation process, from crude oil to end product, and discover what makes european. Crude oil is a fossil fuel, meaning that it was made naturally from decaying plants and animals living in ancient seas millions of years ago anywhere you find crude oil was once a sea bed. As a critical component of an asset integrity management aim program, maintenance engineers and technicians dedicate time to developing and implementing maintenance strategies that optimize production and use costeffective maintenance techniques. In the refining process, crude oil is refined to produce different petroleum products like gasoline, diesel. The transformation begins with the extraction of oil from the ground, after which it is usually loaded into large container ships that deliver it to refineries all over the world. Those products must then be transported to enduse consumers or retailers like gasoline stations or the company that delivers heating oil to your house, if you have an oil. Chemical cleaning and degassing refinery equipment the safe removal of volatile hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulphide gas and pyrophoric iron sulphide from refinery equipment before inspection is indispensable. Reliability department its function is doing rca, fmea, irrr, insuring mechanical availability of rotary equipment for troublefree operation. The diagram depicts only one of the literally hundreds of different oil refinery configurations. Midstream activities involve the distribution of crude oil to refiners.
Learn how crude oil is converted into everything from butane to gasoline. For more information on the fascinating world of oil refining and petroleum chemistry, check out the links below. The refining process separates, breaks, reshapes and recombines the molecules of crude oil into valueadded products such as gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel. Oil and gas production handbook an introduction to oil. Oil refining is a major traditional major area for pinch studies, and of course the pioneering pinch study was on a crude unit, as described in sections 9. Once crude oil is extracted from the ground, it must be transported and refined into petroleum products that have any value. Crude oil is the term for unprocessed oil, the stuff that comes out of the ground. Refining operations petroleum refining processes and operations can be separated into five basic areas. No work takes place in a refinery without a safe work permit. Petroleum refining processes are the chemical engineering processes and other facilities used in petroleum refineries also referred to as oil refineries to transform crude oil into useful products such as liquefied petroleum gas lpg, gasoline or petrol, kerosene, jet fuel, diesel oil and fuel oils. Crude oil needs to be processed before it can be used see closeup.
There are various processes involved which include heating and chemical reactions. The problem with crude oil is that it contains hundreds of different types of hydrocarbons all mixed together. Opportunities and challenges congressional research service 1 introduction the last new refinery to open in the united states finished construction in 1976. This method involved the processing stages of degumming, bleaching and deodorization. Historically, we know of the tales of eternal fires where oil and gas seeps would ignite and burn. That record is about to fall with the construction of a small refinery scheduled to open late this year in. In this lecture, we present a brief overview of the petroleum refining, a prominent process. This article discusses the various aspects of petroleum refining and oil products as a primary energy source and as a valuable feedstock for petrochemicals.
Photo courtesy phillips petroleum company in movies and. In the next stage of refining, these gas oils are further refined to make products such as lightcycle oil a type of distillate, gasoline, and naphtha. Capacity of operable petroleum refineries by state. Due to the chemistry of oil refining, the higher the ch ratio of a crude oil, the more intense and costly the refinery processing required to prod uce given volumes of gasoline and distillate fuels. Science how does fractional distilation of crude oil work. Crude oil refineries employ some of the united states top scientists. These are slightly heavier than middle distillates such as jet fuel, kerosene, and diesel. Crude oil is converted to gasoline through a relatively simple refining process. Corn arrives at the refining facility by truck, barge or railcar.
So in order to satisfy the market demand, firms are compelled to apply more complex processes, which demand costly investments1. How refining margins are key indicators of refining. The lighter grades of crude oil produce the best yields of these products, but as the worlds reserves of light and medium oil are depleted, oil refineries are increasingly having to process heavy oil and bitumen, and use more complex and expensive methods to produce the products required. Thus, the chemical composition of a crude oil and its various boiling range fractions influence refinery investment requirements and. Learn more about petroleum refining, including its history and the various processes used to create the different products. Re refining of used motor oil marie maher december 18, 2011 submitted as coursework for ph240, stanford university, fall 2011 background. It is the duty of employees to adhere to their supervisors suggestions for the promotion of hse practices.
When crude oil reaches the oil refinery it is a thick black, smelly liquid. Mar 09, 2016 history of crude oil refining published on march 9, 2016 march 9. Capacity of operable petroleum refineries by state as of january 1, 2019 staterefinerlocation barrels per stream day, except where noted alabama 40,100 0 20,500 30,000 24,000 0 10,500 0 goodway refining llc. Those products must then be transported to enduse consumers or retailers like gasoline stations or the company that delivers heating oil to your house, if you have an oil furnace. At golden agriresources gar six palm oil refineries, several processes take place to purify the crude palm oil cpo before it is ready for distribution to consumers and industries. In oil importing countries, the oil shocks of the 1970s and concern for supply security moved oil to center stage and led to the creation of downstream nocs. Feb 10, 2014 a project report on re refining of used lube oil 1. Oil filter crude oil truck scale oil seed vessel batch scale quality control impurities oil content moisture press 15 20 % oil meal storage steam hexane extractor distillation condensation electro magnet cooker 80 100. A chemical cleaning programme reduces downtime and the need for mechanical cleaning i n petroleum refineries, distillation and.
The benefits there came from both heat recovery and process change. Fortunately there is an easy way to separate things, and this is what oil refining is all about. The main scope of the course is to create strong basis and fundamentals regarding the processes in the petroleum refining. The remaining 25 percent comprise home heating oil, lubricants, heavy fuel oil, asphalt. Oil refinery operators are highly paid and enjoy a stable work environment, and theres an ongoing need for entrylevel personnel. Lipow oil associates, llc 2217 robinhood street, houston, texas 77005 75247528 how the oil market prices worka brief explanation this report tries to explain how the oil market works in a simple and brief manner. In the refining process, crude oil is refined to produce different petroleum products like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Exporting tight oil while importing heavy oil is very possible if permitted by u.
How does fractional distillation of crude oil work. The density of a crude oil indicates how light or heavy it is, as a whole. The bref entitled refining of mineral oil and gas forms part of a series. Oil fields image gallery refineries turn crude oil into products such as gasoline and plastics. Nov 30, 2018 the analysis of differences in the scope of renewable energy policy in individual countries should take into account the scale of the share of the oil refining and refining industry in the entire. Oil 101 introduction to refining downstream oil and gas. The american petroleum institute api is the only national trade association that represents all aspects of americas oil and natural gas industry. Refining margins are thus dependent on input crude oil cost, product slate, and prices of refined products. How much does it cost to build an oil refinery and how. Crude oil is composed of thousands of different chemical compounds called hydrocarbons, all with different boiling points. You have to separate the different types of hydrocarbons to have anything useful. It is now used in combination with fractional distillation, catalytic cracking, and isomerization to increase a refinery s yield of automotive gasoline.
It is the goal of the corn refining process to separate each component and then further refine it into specific products. Also, indias refining capacity has witnessed a cagr of 3. Lubricants account for approximately 1% of the annual demand for crude oil, and approximately 50% of lubricants are destined for the automotive industry. Deep oil refining processes is an extensive course where overview of the modern, integrated petroleum refinery is analyzed. Jstor july 2019 learn how and when to remove this template message. Pbf energy pbf is one of the largest independent petroleum refiners and suppliers of unbranded transportation fuels, heating oil, petrochemical feedstocks, lubricants and other petroleum products in the united states. The nymex division heating oil futures contract, the worlds first successful energy.
Alkylation units were installed in petroleum refineries in the 1930s, but the process became especially important during world war ii, when there was a great demand for aviation gasoline. Forum members have nominated technical experts constituting the technical working group. A refinery gets crude oil through pipelines, trucks, ships, or rail. C seed preparation warehouse or silos pressed oil solvent extraction oil seed receiving optional dryer extracted oil. Oil refineries convert crude oil, coal, or natural gases into fuel including petrol, diesel, paraffin, kerosene. The petroleum refining industry converts crude oil into more than 2500 refined products. In this sense, the refining margin is an indicator of the overall profitability of a. Oil and natural gas refining, distribution and marketing. Api 520 covers appropriate relief system size calculations based on process parameters such as flow rate and pressure. The oil refining process is the central activity of downstream oil and gas companies. There are many steps needed before we get that golden palm oil you see at the supermarket. Petroleum refining, conversion of crude oil into useful products, including fuel oils, gasoline petrol, asphalt, and kerosene. If there is any doubt regarding proper methods of executing work, consult with your supervisor for speci c instructions.
Work permits should indicate the date and time of issue, the time of expiry, a description of the work to be done, and the name of. Three major types of operation are performed to refine the oil into finished products. How oil refining works howstuffworks science howstuffworks. Approximately 7 vegetable oil plants operate in the united states. Oil refining and products request pdf researchgate. Oil refineries essentially serve as the second stage in the production. Filtration and separation recommendations 4 the process diagram and corresponding charts illustrate. We will be drilling deeper into downstream oil and gas segments, starting with refining.
At first glance, bleaching seems a relatively simple process that consists of mixing the oil with a powder, stirring for some minutes and then removing the powder again. Crude oil refinery activities begin with the input of crude oil. Vacuum distillation is necessary to fractionate the heavy distillates because further increase in temperature would cause thermal cracking of the feed components. Oil 101 refining business processes downstream oil and gas this oil 101 refining module discusses crude supply, operations and turnarounds, refinery benchmarking. In hysys project 1 assignment, you will learn how to introduce crude assay data to a distillation simulator and calculate the yields of naphtha, kerosene, diesel, atmospheric gas oil. The resulting products made from petroleum could readily be utilized in a variety of applications, including lighting, powering manufacturing equipment, and fueling vehicles.
Im not even close to knowing everything there is to know about running a refinery let alone building one. Jul 09, 2012 refining is a margin business, and higher absolute prices tend to weaken demand and make it harder to pass on increases in their costs, but refiners have no control over the price of oil, so they. At the refinery these are separated into fractions which are more useful. Crude oil refineries employ some of the united states top scientists, engineers, and safety professionals to ensure that products are produced. Maintenance is the practice of protecting or restoring equipment in order to maintain function and integrity.
An overview of the refining industry seeking alpha. Long before drakes accomplishment, petroleum literally, rock oil had been gathered at numerous natural seeps. Fractionation distillation is the separation of crude oil in atmospheric and vacuum distillation towers into groups of hydrocarbon compounds of. Oil has been used for lighting purposes for many thousands of years. Petrochemicals feed stock like ethylene and propylene can also be produced directly by cracking crude oil without the need. An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is transformed and refined into more useful products such as petroleum naphtha, gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, jet fuel and fuel oils. Introduction oil refinery comes on 9th position of the schedule i under section 2cb of the factories act 1948. Crude oil refineries employ some of the united states top scientists, engineers, and safety professionals to ensure that products are produced efficiently and safely.
In areas where oil is found in shallow reservoirs, seeps of crude oil or gas may naturally develop, and some oil could simply be collected from seepage or tar ponds. See the protocol document for details on how to estimate emissions for a specific refinery. In this article, well examine the chemistry and technology involved in refining crude oil to produce all of these different things. From crude oil how oil refining works howstuffworks. Sizing, selection, and installation of pressurerelieving devices in refineries is an example of a ragagep often used in petroleum refineries. Us refineries process about 17 million barrels of crude oil a day. Re refining of used lubricating oil project report on the re refining of used lubricant oil submitted to the university of pune, pune in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of bachelor of engineering chemical 1 gajanan r.
This pressure increases with the need for frequent maintenance works on refining machinery and. Wet corn mills are the primary producers of corn oil. Science combined with an infrastructure of pipelines, refineries, and transportation systems enables crude oil to be transformed into useful and affordable products. Lighter crudes contain higher proportions of small molecules, which the. However, none of these products would exist without the. Now you can learn more about the technology involved in refining crude oil into the thousands of petroleumbased products you use everyday. Refineries must find the sweet spot against a backdrop of changing environmental regula. How an oil refinery works shell oil historic film 71862 youtube. Our more than 600 corporate members, from the largest major oil company to the smallest of independents, come from all segments of the industry.
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is transformed. Corrosionrelated accidents in petroleum refineries pdf. Vacuum distillation is a key part of the petroleum. Kier first used the flammable oil produced by his salt wells to light his salt works at night. This fair work commission consolidated modern award incorporates all amendments up to and including 4 february 2020. Apr 25, 2015 an oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful products such as petroleum naphtha, gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt. Lipow oil associates, llc 2217 robinhood street, houston, texas 77005 75247528 how the oil market prices work a brief explanation this report tries to explain how the oil market works in a simple and brief manner. Oil refining market growth, trends and forecasts 20202025. The image on the following page is a schematic flow diagram of a typical oil refinery that depicts the various unit processes and the flow of intermediate product streams that occurs between the inlet crude oil feedstock and the final end products. Oil 101 refining business process downstream oil and gas. Hydrogen processing in this system depends on how much of the gas is to be recovered as. Currently, in malaysia, the type of refining used is physical refining. Filtration and separations technologies for petroleum refining.
Bat reference document for the refining of mineral oil. Each refining process is presented in details, including configuration, operating description and conditions, feedstock and catalyst selection. A safe work permit is a document issued by an authorized representative of the client permitting specific work for a specific time in a specific area. In the case of crude palm oil, bleaching is the initial stage of the whole refining process. Oil is used to power our vehicles, to create medicines that keep us healthy, and to make the plastics, cosmetics, and other personal products that enhance our daily lives. One of the main steps in this long process is palm oil refining. Due to the chemistry of oil refining, the higher the ch ratio of a crude oil, the more intense and costly the refinery. In both oil exporting and oil importing countries, interest in a downstream role for the nocs also revolved around gaining control over the pricing of. York harbor gasoline and crude oil, which are known as crack spread options. History, process and products nearly every aspect of our modern lifestyle is impacted by oil. China is expected to account for the major growth in crude oil refining between 2019 and 2025 in asiapacific apac. The united states is home to thousands of oil refineries, all of which need experts to run their operations.