Petroleum, Refineries, and the Future

Refinery Operations

Abdullah M. Aitani of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals says oil refinery is an industrial process. Scientifically speaking, refining is the process of converting crude oil into hydrocarbon products, which are found in the fuel products we use extensively. What happens in this process is that, the basic types of hydrocarbon molecules found naturally in the crude oil are separated and combined into groups of similar molecules by using factors such as chemicals, catalysts, heat and pressure (Aitani). During the refinery process, their structures and bonding patterns are also rearranged into different hydrocarbon molecules and compounds, which is why “it is the type of hydrocarbon and its demand that configure the refining industry” (Aitani). 

Speight, in the same article has discussed all the different types of refinery operations. According to him, Distillation is the most important method used to refine petroleum and also one of the major processes in the refinery. In process of distillation in modern refinery is the most flexible process. It is because the conditions can be adjusted according to the viscosity of the crude oils. The maximum temperature that can be reached in the process of Distillation is 660°F. Above this temperature, thermal decomposition takes place. Atmospheric distillation and Vacuum distillation are some of the types of distillation (Speight, “Petroleum Processing and Refining”).

Speight says in the Thermal process, petroleum having higher boiling points are thermally decomposed into lighter oils by cracking.  In the modern refining technologies, the residue from the process of distillation is used for cracking in thermal process and the are also found to be used as lubricating oils in the process. This phenomenon of using the residue in the thermal process (Speight, “Petroleum Processing and Refining”).

Next processes in the refinery process is Hydro Process, as discussed in the article. The process is called Hydro Process because this is a thermal process where hydrogen is used. Gasoline, kerosene and jet fuels are the petroleum products having lower boiling points. In the Hydro Process, the rate of production of these low-boiling components is increased. This happens because hydrogen is used in the process and it helps in stopping the coke-forming reactions in the process (Speight, “Petroleum Processing and Refining”).
 
Another process is called Reforming Process, which is also discussed in the article. Few decades ago, the demand for higher-octane gasoline and petroleum products increased. To meet the need of high-octane-number gasoline, reforming process was developed. Reforming processes basically reforms the gasoline into gasolines having higher octane number. Reforming process uses temperature higher than Thermal Process, but both the processes use similar equipments (Speight, “Petroleum Processing and Refining”).

Similarly other remaining processes are also described in the article. Isomerization process got its popularity during the time of second World War. It is because this process was found efficient to produce aviation fuel having higher octane number and raw materials for Alkylation Process, which is also a process used for similar purpose. Nowadays too, the demand for motor fuel with high octane number is increasing, which is resulting into increased installation of isomerization units. Lastly, Polymerization Process is the process used to convert gases into liquid fuels and Solvent Process is used mainly to produce things like asphalt and aromatic oils (Speight, “Petroleum Processing and Refining”).
 

Works Cited

Aitani, Abdullah M. "Oil Refining and Products." Encyclopedia of Energy, Cutler J. Cleveland, 1st edition, Elsevier Science &
          Technology, 2004. Credo Reference, Web. Accessed 17 Nov 2017.
 
Speight, James G. “Petroleum Processing and Refining.” AccessScience, McGraw-Hill
          Education, 2014. Web. Accessed 15 Nov 2017.
 
 

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