28/05/2026
Fuel is extracted from crude oil at refineries using a process called fractional distillation. The crude oil is heated to a v***r and pumped into a tall distillation tower, where different components separate into "fractions" as they cool based on their varying boiling points.
The extraction process happens in three main stages:
1. Separation (Fractional Distillation)
As the v***rized crude oil rises through the fractionating column, it cools down. Lighter hydrocarbons with lower boiling points rise to the top, while heavier ones condense near the hot bottom.
Top Layer: Gases (liquefied petroleum gas).
Upper-Middle Layer: Gasoline, naphtha, and kerosene (jet fuel).
Lower-Middle Layer: Diesel fuel and heating oils.
Bottom Layer: Heavy fuel oil and bitumen (used for asphalt).
2. Conversion (Cracking)
Because simple distillation yields more heavy oils than the market demands, refineries use secondary processes to convert heavy, less valuable molecules into lighter, high-demand fuels.
Cracking: Uses heat, pressure, and catalysts to break large, heavy hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, usable ones like gasoline.
3. Treatment and Blending
To make the final fuels usable and environmentally compliant, they undergo treatment to remove impurities, primarily sulfur (desulphurization). Finally, the resulting streams are blended with various additives to meet specific performance and safety standards.
