Oil Refining Industry
Because different crude oils have different compositions, refineries must carefully adjust their processes to maximize efficiency and product quality. The refining process generally occurs in several major stages. Each stage separates or modifies hydrocarbons to create specific fuels and materials. The first step in most refineries is fractional distillation. Crude oil is heated in a furnace until it vaporizes and then enters a tall distillation column.
Inside the column, different hydrocarbons condense at different temperatures. Lighter products rise to the top while heavier products remain near the bottom. This stage does not change the molecules; it only separates them based on boiling point. After distillation, heavier fractions often need to be converted into lighter, more valuable products like gasoline or diesel. Conversion units break large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones or rearrange them to improve fuel quality.
