Oil refining

Oil refining is the name for a number of processes from chemical engineering, which transform crude oil into useful products such as different fuel oils, Liquefied petroleum gas, gasoline, kerosene or diesel oil. These transformation occur in plants called petroleum refineries. The transformations are done in many steps. The refineries are large industrial complexes, that have many different sub-units, and facilities. Each refinery has its own unique arrangement and combination of refining processes. The exact setup of the refinery is largely determined by the its location, desired products and economic considerations.

An Oil refinery, in Canada

Refineries often need transport facilities, this is the railway station of the Godorf Oil refinery, near Cologne.

History

The beginnings of refining crude petroleum trace back to the successful drilling of the first oil wells in Ontario, Canada, in 1858, and in Titusville, Pennsylvania, U.S., in 1859. Prior to these pivotal events, petroleum was scarce, mainly sourced from natural seepage in select regions worldwide. Its limited availability confined its use to medicinal and specialized applications. However, the discovery of "rock oil" in northwestern Pennsylvania altered the landscape, providing ample crude oil for the development of large-scale processing systems. Early refineries utilized basic distillation units, or "stills," to heat crude oil in vessels, condensing the resulting vapors into distinct liquid fractions. Initially, the primary product was kerosene, a cleaner-burning lamp oil more abundant and consistent than whale oil or animal fat, thus revolutionizing illumination.

Modern petroleum refineries process as much as 800,000 to 900,000 barrels (127,000 to 143,000 cubic meters) per day of crude oil.