PROCESS INDUSTRIES OF PETROLEUM AND PETROCHEMICALS
I. Introduction
Petroleum
The word petroleum came from the Latin petra which means “rock” and
oleum means “oil.” It is a liquid that exists naturally below the surface of the earth
and can be processed to provide fuel. Second most abundant liquid on the earth. Fuels
that come from decayed living things are called Fossil fuels. It contains hydrocarbons,
molecules that contain hydrogen and carbon and come in various lengths and
structures, from straight chains to branching chains to rings.
Petrochemical
These are the chemical products obtained from petroleum refining. Chemical
products derived from crude oil, although many of the same chemical compounds are
also obtained from other fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas or from renewable
sources such as corn, sugar cane, and other types of biomasses. Compounds that are
produced using natural gas and petroleum. Hydrocarbon molecules, which include
one or more carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms connected, are what make up
petroleum and natural gas. Petrochemicals are crucial for our leisure, food, clothing,
and shelter.
II. Manufacturing
The refining or manufacturing of petroleum products and of petroleum chemicals
involves two major branches-physical changes or separation operations and chemical changes
or conversion processes.
➢ Separation Operations
Involves piping crude oil through hot furnaces. The resulting liquids
and vapors are discharged into distillation units.
➢ Conversion Processes
After distillation or separation operation, heavy, lower-value
distillation hydrocarbon can be processed further into lighter, higher-
value products such as gasoline.
• Cracking
the process by which heavy hydrocarbon molecules are
broken up into lighter molecules by means of heat and usually
pressure and sometimes catalysts.
Distillation
Units
Crude Oil
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