Within the depths of crude oil are the building blocks of modern civilization, transformed into a diverse array of essential petroleum products that permeate our daily lives. The extraction and refining of crude oil unveil a vast array of indispensable commodities that range from the fuel powering our transportation to the materials shaping our homes and the chemicals enriching our industries. In this article, you will discover the pivotal petroleum products derived from this precious resource and uncover their invaluable roles in powering progress and sustaining our interconnected world.
What is Crude Oil?
Crude oil is an underground, naturally occurring liquid comprising hydrocarbons and other organic components that transform into gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, jet fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, and fuel oils after proper refinement.
It is rich in hydrocarbons and other organic materials, making it a primary source of raw materials for the petrochemical industry. Petroleum may exist, sometimes as a liquid (crude oil) and sometimes as a vapour (natural gas).
Also, it is the most common fossil fuel that forms from the remains of prehistoric plants and animals.
Few Essential Petroleum Products Derived from Crude Oil
Some essential petroleum products derived from crude oil include gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, jet fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, and fuel oils. Let me go ahead and explain them one after the other.
Gasoline: One of the products refiners derive from petroleum or crude oil, is gasoline. Usually, in a translucent liquid form, it is a mixture of volatile, flammable liquid hydrocarbons derived from petroleum and used as fuel for internal-combustion engines.
The primary driver of gasoline prices is crude oil prices, the most important macroeconomic indicator in the world. A few of its top users include the US, Britain, China, India, and Japan.
Diesel Oil. Diesel fuel is obtained from petroleum distillation and used in diesel engines with relatively low ignition temperatures.
There are two types of petroleum diesel, which include automotive and industrial gas oil. Industrial gas oil (IGO) is a type of fuel for non-road vehicles such as agricultural tractors, construction machinery, heating, and others. On the other hand, automotive gas oil is a fuel intended for use in road vehicles powered by diesel engines.
Fuel Oil. Fuel oil is a distillate fuel used mainly for burning in furnaces, boilers, stoves, and lanterns to generate heat. You can also make use of it in an engine for the generation of power. There are three types of fuel oils: low-sulfur fuel oil, medium fuel oil, and extra light fuel oil.
Low-sulfur fuel oil belongs to the group of middle distillates with a boiling point between 180°C and 360°C. Fuel oils are the primary oil in general industrial and commercial applications such as furnaces, large air heaters, and dryers.
Other Petroleum Products
Kerosene. Kerosene, a combustible liquid, serves multiple practical purposes, encompassing heating and cooking applications among its diverse uses. Not only does it serve as a cleaning agent, but it is also the power source for jet engines.
Kerosene has a density of 0.80 grams per millilitre. It does not mix with water but blends well with other petroleum products.
Liquefied Natural Gas. Liquefied natural gas is natural gas that has been turned from its gaseous state into a liquid at about 2600 Fahrenheit for easy transportation and storage. To reduce the gaseous state of natural gas, you need to liquefy it and keep its temperatures below 160 degrees Celsius.
However, all it takes to convert it back to its gaseous state is to increase its container’s temperature.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas. LPG Gas or Liquid Petroleum Gas is a group of flammable hydrocarbon gases liquefied through pressurization. It is obtainable from natural gas processing or petroleum refining.
Liquefied petroleum gas, composed of a blend of hydrocarbon gases, fulfills the role of a versatile fuel, finding application in heating appliances, cooking equipment, and even vehicles. Generally stored as a liquid in steel vessels, LPG gases can be compressed into a liquid at low pressures.
Less Commonly Used Petroleum Products
Naphtha: A petroleum product that looks like gasoline, naphtha is a flammable liquid made from distilling petroleum. You can use naphtha to dilute heavy oil to aid its movement through pipelines. Also, you can use naphtha as fuel, solvents, and raw materials for chemicals.
Paraffin wax:
Paraffin wax is a white or colourless soft solid derived from petroleum, coal, or oil shale. It consists of a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules containing between twenty and forty carbon atoms. Producers obtain paraffin wax from crude oil by dewaxing light lubricating oil stocks. It is the main ingredient for producing candles, polishes, cosmetics, and wax paper.
Petroleum Wax:
Petroleum wax is any wax producers obtain from petroleum through refining. There are many petroleum jelly types: paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, and petroleum jelly.
Refined Bitumen: It is a near-solid hydrocarbon product obtained by removing lighter fractions (such as liquid petroleum gas, petrol, and diesel) from heavy crude oil during refining. Also, it is an oil-based, noncrystalline solid substance that may form naturally.
Petroleum Jelly: Petroleum jelly is a mixture of mineral oils and waxes that transforms into a semisolid jelly-like substance. Petrolatum is a mixture of hydrocarbons and a notable raw material for pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, it serves as a substitute for fat in ointments and cosmetics.
How to Transform Crude Oil into Petroleum Products
Crude oil, a raw and unrefined resource, possesses an immense potential that we can unlock through a series of intricate processes. Let us now see how refiners transform crude oil into valuable petroleum products.
Although most crude oil blends have to go through refining, a few do not and are still usable
From the initial distillation stages to the intricate separation and purification techniques, let us explore the step-by-step process that transforms crude oil into fuels, chemicals, and materials that power our modern world.
What is an oil refinery? An oil refinery is an industrial process plant purposely built for the transformation and refining of crude oil into more usable products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, and others.
What is crude oil refining? Crude oil refining refers to the complex industrial process of transforming crude oil into a diverse range of valuable petroleum products. Moreover, crude oil refining has three stages: distillation, conversion, and treatment.
Distillation is a primary refining process that separates crude oil into various components based on their boiling points. The process takes place in a distillation column or tower, where crude oil is heated and vaporized. This separation enables the production of different fractions, including gases, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and other valuable products, which are further processed and utilized in various industries.
On the other hand, conversion involves the cracking of higher molecules into smaller ones, while treatment entails the standardization of the processed products.
However, most crude oils are not usable without proper conversion into petroleum products.
Means of Transporting Petroleum Products
You can transport petroleum products through the following channels – vessels, pipelines, trucks, and trains.
Transportation by sea: Transporting oil by sea creates room for economic growth and provides opportunities for international trading. It allows the shipment of large quantities of petroleum products at a time and offers cheaper rates when compared to land transport.
Transportation by pipelines: Transporting petroleum products via pipelines is an economical way of transporting oil products from the production point to the end-users. It is a viable means of transporting petroleum products from the production point to other locations because it does not attract running costs.
Transportation by roads: Transporting petroleum products via trucks reduces navigational and environmental problems associated with other means of distribution. Also, it enhances the quick delivery of products to homes and some industrial users.
Transportation by rail: Lastly, producers and marketers use rail transport because it is suitable for long-distance product distribution. Also, it allows marketers to ship large quantities of oil at a time.
Do away with activities that could trigger a fire accident and avoid careless oil spilling.
For detailed information about crude oil, check out our article on petroleum exploration. Also, if you want to know the top ten LNG exporting countries, kindly go here.