Petroleum products are useful materials derived from crude oil (
petroleum) as it is processed in
oil refineries.
According to crude oil composition and demand, refineries can produce different shares of petroleum products. The largest share of oil products is used as
energy carriers: various grades of
fuel oil and
gasoline. These energy-carrying
fuels include or can be blended to give gasoline,
jet fuel,
diesel fuel,
heating oil, and heavier fuel oils. Heavier (less
volatile) fractions can also be used to produce
asphalt,
tar,
paraffin wax,
lubricating and other heavy oils. Refineries also produce other
chemicals, some of which are used in
chemical processes to produce
plastics and other useful materials. Since petroleum often contains a couple of percent
sulfur, sulfur is also often produced as a petroleum product.
Hydrogen and
carbon in the form of
petroleum coke may also be produced as petroleum products. The hydrogen produced is often used as an intermediate product for other oil refinery processes such as hydrogen catalytic cracking (
hydrocracking) and
hydrodesulfurization.
Major products of oil refineries
Specialty end products
Oil refineries will blend various feedstocks, mix appropriate additives, provide short term storage, and prepare for bulk loading to trucks, barges, product ships, and railcars.
- Gaseous fuels such as propane, stored and shipped in liquid form under pressure in specialized railcars to distributors.
- Liquid fuels blending (producing......
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