Chapter 2 – Refining Processes

Publisher Summary Petroleum products have to be refined before using them for specific requirements as different constituents are necessary for different purposes. Petroleum products result from chemical processes that change the molecular nature of selected portions of crude oil; in other words, they are the products of refining. A refinery is essentially a group of manufacturing plants that varies in number with the variety of products produced in order to give a balanced operation. Petroleum refining is, however, a recent technology and most of the innovations found in a modern refinery have evolved during the twentieth century. Whatever the choice, refinery practice continues to evolve and new processes are installed alongside older modified processes. The purpose of this chapter is to present a general overview of refining that will show some of the changes that are occurring in refineries as they adapt to new feedstocks. An overview of the history of petroleum refining is also discussed. From this description the evolution of the petroleum refinery can be understood, and so reasonable predictions can be made on the refineries of the future.