If i was to make a list of all the products produced directly by an oil refinery, how many products would be on that list?

mollwollfumble said:

If i was to make a list of all the products produced directly by an oil refinery, how many products would be on that list?

Are you going to include the waste products as well?

Would it depend on what type of oil it was dealing with, or are you talking about a generic oil refinery?

How to make kedgeree

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/mar/13/how-to-make-kedgeree

Bubbles is always on about making a kedgeree. I’ve never had one and after looking at this recipe I don’t think I’d ever bother.

Usually 10 or so, but some of those products will be going elsewhere for further separation or blending into other products.

roughbarked said:

mollwollfumble said:

If i was to make a list of all the products produced directly by an oil refinery, how many products would be on that list?

Are you going to include the waste products as well?

If they are sold. So CO2 is a waste product, but i think they sell it? But H2O is a waste product and i’d be very surprised if they sell that.

> Would it depend on what type of oil it was dealing with, or are you talking about a generic oil refinery?

Generic, but it would depend on size, and country. A small refinery for military purposes would only produce fuels. I’m assuming a really big one.

dv said:

Usually 10 or so, but some of those products will be going elsewhere for further separation or blending into other products.

So small?

What prompted this thread is that there are two ways to produce organic molecules – by direct separation from crude oil or by synthesis from precursors. There are heaps of organic molecules that can be extracted directly from crude oil that are useful precursors.

In addition to different grades of bulk fuel:
Natural gas, LNG, LPG, 91 unleaded, 95 unleaded, 98 unleaded, 10% ethanol, diesel, kerosene, paraffin, etc.

There might be 6 to 8 different types of marine fuel. Tyree types of aviation fuel

Then there’s bitumin for roads.

Five or more different grades of lubricating oil.

Naphtha.

Helium comes directly from refineries. Carbon dioxide i think ditto. Argon probably not.

What about methane, ethane, propane, fuel butane for cigarette lighters, ethene for vinyls and polythene, benzene, toluene, naphthaline, aniline for making dyes and polystyrene, white spirit, sulphur compounds? Do some of these come from refineries?

Other?

I really don’t know which of these are refinery products?

mollwollfumble said:

roughbarked said:

mollwollfumble said:

If i was to make a list of all the products produced directly by an oil refinery, how many products would be on that list?

Are you going to include the waste products as well?

If they are sold. So CO2 is a waste product, but i think they sell it? But H2O is a waste product and i’d be very surprised if they sell that.

> Would it depend on what type of oil it was dealing with, or are you talking about a generic oil refinery?

Generic, but it would depend on size, and country. A small refinery for military purposes would only produce fuels. I’m assuming a really big one.

dv said:

Usually 10 or so, but some of those products will be going elsewhere for further separation or blending into other products.

So small?

What prompted this thread is that there are two ways to produce organic molecules – by direct separation from crude oil or by synthesis from precursors. There are heaps of organic molecules that can be extracted directly from crude oil that are useful precursors.

In addition to different grades of bulk fuel:
Natural gas, LNG, LPG, 91 unleaded, 95 unleaded, 98 unleaded, 10% ethanol, diesel, kerosene, paraffin, etc.

There might be 6 to 8 different types of marine fuel. Tyree types of aviation fuel

Then there’s bitumin for roads.

Five or more different grades of lubricating oil.

Naphtha.

Helium comes directly from refineries. Carbon dioxide i think ditto. Argon probably not.

What about methane, ethane, propane, fuel butane for cigarette lighters, ethene for vinyls and polythene, benzene, toluene, naphthaline, aniline for making dyes and polystyrene, white spirit, sulphur compounds? Do some of these come from refineries?

Other?

I really don’t know which of these are refinery products?

Eg. “the vast majority of the 64,000,000 metric tons of sulfur (elemental sulfur and sulfuric acid) produced worldwide is byproduct sulfur from refineries”

mollwollfumble said:

roughbarked said:

If they are sold. So CO2 is a waste product, but i think they sell it? But H2O is a waste product and i’d be very surprised if they sell that.

> Would it depend on what type of oil it was dealing with, or are you talking about a generic oil refinery?

Generic, but it would depend on size, and country. A small refinery for military purposes would only produce fuels. I’m assuming a really big one.

dv said:

Usually 10 or so, but some of those products will be going elsewhere for further separation or blending into other products.

So small?

What prompted this thread is that there are two ways to produce organic molecules – by direct separation from crude oil or by synthesis from precursors. There are heaps of organic molecules that can be extracted directly from crude oil that are useful precursors.

In addition to different grades of bulk fuel:
Natural gas, LNG, LPG, 91 unleaded, 95 unleaded, 98 unleaded, 10% ethanol, diesel, kerosene, paraffin, etc.

There might be 6 to 8 different types of marine fuel. Tyree types of aviation fuel

Then there’s bitumin for roads.

Five or more different grades of lubricating oil.

Naphtha.

Helium comes directly from refineries. Carbon dioxide i think ditto. Argon probably not.

What about methane, ethane, propane, fuel butane for cigarette lighters, ethene for vinyls and polythene, benzene, toluene, naphthaline, aniline for making dyes and polystyrene, white spirit, sulphur compounds? Do some of these come from refineries?

Other?

I really don’t know which of these are refinery products?

Eg. “the vast majority of the 64,000,000 metric tons of sulfur (elemental sulfur and sulfuric acid) produced worldwide is byproduct sulfur from refineries”

“fuels, lubricants, chemicals, marine products and bitumen”

“Multipurpose grease, air compressor oil, hydraulic oil, diesel engine oil, transmission oil, gear oil, detergent”

“as methane, ethane, propane and butanes. In addition to a gasoline blending stock, reformate is the main source of aromatic bulk chemicals such as benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene. Products such as hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol from natural gas, naphtha or other petroleum-derived feedstocks”.

mollwollfumble said:

If i was to make a list of all the products produced directly by an oil refinery, how many products would be on that list?

What does a refinery produce?

Chemicals

In related news, UK companies have been informed that if they use a chemical in their business, they must submit that chemical for approval by the UK Government, before the end of March.

Someone’s going to be busy.

The Rev Dodgson said:

mollwollfumble said:

If i was to make a list of all the products produced directly by an oil refinery, how many products would be on that list?

What does a refinery produce?

Chemicals

In related news, UK companies have been informed that if they use a chemical in their business, they must submit that chemical for approval by the UK Government, before the end of March.

Someone’s going to be busy.

Bloody hell, all chemicals? I mean that would cover everything.

ChrispenEvan said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

mollwollfumble said:

If i was to make a list of all the products produced directly by an oil refinery, how many products would be on that list?

What does a refinery produce?

Chemicals

In related news, UK companies have been informed that if they use a chemical in their business, they must submit that chemical for approval by the UK Government, before the end of March.

Someone’s going to be busy.

Bloody hell, all chemicals? I mean that would cover everything.

Next, the isotopes.

rubs hands

If they are sold. So CO2 is a waste product, but i think they sell it? But H2O is a waste product and i’d be very surprised if they sell that.

> Would it depend on what type of oil it was dealing with, or are you talking about a generic oil refinery?

Generic, but it would depend on size, and country. A small refinery for military purposes would only produce fuels. I’m assuming a really big one.

dv said:

Usually 10 or so, but some of those products will be going elsewhere for further separation or blending into other products.

So small?

What prompted this thread is that there are two ways to produce organic molecules – by direct separation from crude oil or by synthesis from precursors. There are heaps of organic molecules that can be extracted directly from crude oil that are useful precursors.

In addition to different grades of bulk fuel:
Natural gas, LNG, LPG, 91 unleaded, 95 unleaded, 98 unleaded, 10% ethanol, diesel, kerosene, paraffin, etc.

There might be 6 to 8 different types of marine fuel. Tyree types of aviation fuel

Then there’s bitumin for roads.

Five or more different grades of lubricating oil.

Naphtha.

Helium comes directly from refineries. Carbon dioxide i think ditto. Argon probably not.

What about methane, ethane, propane, fuel butane for cigarette lighters, ethene for vinyls and polythene, benzene, toluene, naphthaline, aniline for making dyes and polystyrene, white spirit, sulphur compounds? Do some of these come from refineries?

Other?

I really don’t know which of these are refinery products?

Eg. “the vast majority of the 64,000,000 metric tons of sulfur (elemental sulfur and sulfuric acid) produced worldwide is byproduct sulfur from refineries”

“fuels, lubricants, chemicals, marine products and bitumen”

“Multipurpose grease, air compressor oil, hydraulic oil, diesel engine oil, transmission oil, gear oil, detergent”

“as methane, ethane, propane and butanes. In addition to a gasoline blending stock, reformate is the main source of aromatic bulk chemicals such as benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene. Products such as hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol from natural gas, naphtha or other petroleum-derived feedstocks”.

Wikipedia lists major products as https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_refinery

Gaseous fuel such as Liquified petroleum gas and propane, stored and shipped in liquid form under pressure.

Lubricants (produces light machine oils, motor oils, and greases, adding viscosity stabilizers as required), usually shipped in bulk to an offsite packaging plant.

Paraffin wax, used in the packaging of frozen foods, among others. May be shipped in bulk to a site to prepare as packaged blocks. Used for wax emulsions, construction board, matches, candles, rust protection, and vapor barriers.

Sulfur (or sulfuric acid), byproducts of sulfur removal from petroleum which may have up to a couple percent sulfur as organic sulfur-containing compounds. Sulfur and sulfuric acid are useful industrial materials. Sulfuric acid is usually prepared and shipped as the acid precursor oleum.

Bulk tar shipping for offsite unit packaging for use in tar-and-gravel roofing.
Asphalt used as a binder for gravel to form asphalt concrete, which is used for paving roads, lots, etc. An asphalt unit prepares bulk asphalt for shipment.

Petroleum coke, used in specialty carbon products like electrodes or as solid fuel.

Petrochemicals are organic compounds that are the ingredients for the chemical industry, ranging from polymers and pharmaceuticals, including ethylene and benzene-toluene-xylenes (“BTX”) which are often sent to petrochemical plants for further processing in a variety of ways. The petrochemicals may be olefins or their precursors, or various types of aromatic petrochemicals.

Gasoline
Naphtha
Kerosene and related jet aircraft fuels
Diesel fuel and Fuel oils
Heat
Electricity

and notes 144 further items, many not directly from a refinery

A partial list of products made from Petroleum (144 of 6000 items)
One 42-gallon barrel of oil creates 19.4 gallons of gasoline. The rest (over half) is used to make things like:

Solvents Diesel fuel Motor Oil Bearing Grease
Ink Floor Wax Ballpoint Pens Football Cleats
Upholstery Sweaters Boats Insecticides
Bicycle Tires Sports Car Bodies Nail Polish Fishing lures
Dresses Tires Golf Bags Perfumes
Cassettes Dishwasher parts Tool Boxes Shoe Polish
Motorcycle Helmet Caulking Petroleum Jelly Transparent Tape
CD Player Faucet Washers Antiseptics Clothesline
Curtains Food Preservatives Basketballs Soap
Vitamin Capsules Antihistamines Purses Shoes
Dashboards Cortisone Deodorant Shoelace Aglets
Putty Dyes Panty Hose Refrigerant
Percolators Life Jackets Rubbing Alcohol Linings
Skis TV Cabinets Shag Rugs Electrician’s Tape
Tool Racks Car Battery Cases Epoxy Paint
Mops Slacks Insect Repellent Oil Filters
Umbrellas Yarn Fertilizers Hair Coloring
Roofing Toilet Seats Fishing Rods Lipstick
Denture Adhesive Linoleum Ice Cube Trays Synthetic Rubber
Speakers Plastic Wood Electric Blankets Glycerin
Tennis Rackets Rubber Cement Fishing Boots Dice
Nylon Rope Candles Trash Bags House Paint
Water Pipes Hand Lotion Roller Skates Surf Boards
Shampoo Wheels Paint Rollers Shower Curtains
Guitar Strings Luggage Aspirin Safety Glasses
Antifreeze Football Helmets Awnings Eyeglasses
Clothes Toothbrushes Ice Chests Footballs
Combs CD’s & DVD’s Paint Brushes Detergents
Vaporizers Balloons Sun Glasses Tents
Heart Valves Crayons Parachutes Telephones
Enamel Pillows Dishes Cameras
Anesthetics Artificial Turf Artificial limbs Bandages
Dentures Model Cars Folding Doors Hair Curlers
Cold cream Movie film Soft Contact lenses Drinking Cups
Fan Belts Car Enamel Shaving Cream Ammonia
Refrigerators Golf Balls Toothpaste

Which is quite a ridiculous list, but …

I’m still having trouble distinguishing between an oil refiner, a petrochemical company, and a chemical company.

If I look up “petrochemical company” on the web, it immediately redirects me to an oil refiner or a chemical company. Which is a big pest.

I found “ExxonMobil Chemical” and the products it produces (in at least 150 grades), without any clear difference between that and “ExxonMobil” the oil refiner. So far, “ExxonMobil Chemical” is the first I’ve found that specifically calls itself a “Petrochemical company”.

Dow Aromatics Products are produced from pyrolysis gasoline (pygas) during the production of benzene (and toluene, xylene and coproducts). Pygas is a co-product in the production of ethylene from the high temperature steam cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks.

Pyrolysis gasoline or Pygas is a naphtha-range product with a high aromatics content. It is a by-product of high temperature naphtha cracking during ethylene and propylene production. Also, it is a high octane number mixture which contains aromatics, olefins and paraffins ranging from C5s to C12s. PyGas has high potential for use as a gasoline blending mixture and/or as a source of aromatics.

Ethylene production through pyrolysis (steam cracking) produces several by-products, including a heavy C5+ stream. The C5+ cut is referred to in the industry as pyrolysis gasoline or pygas. Left in its raw form, the stream has little commercial value owing to its high reactivity and low stability. However, the stream contains many high-value components, such as isoprene, benzene, toluene and xylenes.

Extracting these components can be highly economical, and typically requires hydrotreating in a pygas hydrogenation unit (PHU). The stream can be treated in various ways, depending on the required product slate. Shell Global Solutions offers a wide range of licensing packages for pygas processing to provide a custom fit for the goals of individual customers. As well as full PHU process design, Shell Global Solutions provides services to facilitate upgrades such as capacity expansions and reliability improvements to existing units. The Shell Group (“Shell”) has operated PHUs in its chemical plants around the globe for over 40 years.

Aha. Now this flowchart is nice.

mollwollfumble said:

Dow Aromatics Products are produced from pyrolysis gasoline (pygas) during the production of benzene (and toluene, xylene and coproducts). Pygas is a co-product in the production of ethylene from the high temperature steam cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks.

Pyrolysis gasoline or Pygas is a naphtha-range product with a high aromatics content. It is a by-product of high temperature naphtha cracking during ethylene and propylene production. Also, it is a high octane number mixture which contains aromatics, olefins and paraffins ranging from C5s to C12s. PyGas has high potential for use as a gasoline blending mixture and/or as a source of aromatics.

Ethylene production through pyrolysis (steam cracking) produces several by-products, including a heavy C5+ stream. The C5+ cut is referred to in the industry as pyrolysis gasoline or pygas. Left in its raw form, the stream has little commercial value owing to its high reactivity and low stability. However, the stream contains many high-value components, such as isoprene, benzene, toluene and xylenes.

Extracting these components can be highly economical, and typically requires hydrotreating in a pygas hydrogenation unit (PHU). The stream can be treated in various ways, depending on the required product slate. Shell Global Solutions offers a wide range of licensing packages for pygas processing to provide a custom fit for the goals of individual customers. As well as full PHU process design, Shell Global Solutions provides services to facilitate upgrades such as capacity expansions and reliability improvements to existing units. The Shell Group (“Shell”) has operated PHUs in its chemical plants around the globe for over 40 years.

Aha. Now this flowchart is nice.

I asked my skin specialist why the preferred skin cleansers were all petrochemical products and his answer was “at least we know which chemicals”.

roughbarked said:

mollwollfumble said:

Dow Aromatics Products are produced from pyrolysis gasoline (pygas) during the production of benzene (and toluene, xylene and coproducts). Pygas is a co-product in the production of ethylene from the high temperature steam cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks.

Pyrolysis gasoline or Pygas is a naphtha-range product with a high aromatics content. It is a by-product of high temperature naphtha cracking during ethylene and propylene production. Also, it is a high octane number mixture which contains aromatics, olefins and paraffins ranging from C5s to C12s. PyGas has high potential for use as a gasoline blending mixture and/or as a source of aromatics.

Ethylene production through pyrolysis (steam cracking) produces several by-products, including a heavy C5+ stream. The C5+ cut is referred to in the industry as pyrolysis gasoline or pygas. Left in its raw form, the stream has little commercial value owing to its high reactivity and low stability. However, the stream contains many high-value components, such as isoprene, benzene, toluene and xylenes.

Extracting these components can be highly economical, and typically requires hydrotreating in a pygas hydrogenation unit (PHU). The stream can be treated in various ways, depending on the required product slate. Shell Global Solutions offers a wide range of licensing packages for pygas processing to provide a custom fit for the goals of individual customers. As well as full PHU process design, Shell Global Solutions provides services to facilitate upgrades such as capacity expansions and reliability improvements to existing units. The Shell Group (“Shell”) has operated PHUs in its chemical plants around the globe for over 40 years.

Aha. Now this flowchart is nice.

I asked my skin specialist why the preferred skin cleansers were all petrochemical products and his answer was “at least we know which chemicals”.

Saved flowchart for later reference. It’ll take a bit of sorting out I suspect. Arrows seem to come from the wrong places.