raffinage du pétrole

Traductions

• anglais

  Date : 1984

  Définition

  The treatment of crude petroleum so as to separate out a number of petroleum fractions suitable for specific applications such as feedstock, transport fuels, heating oils, or lubricants. The first refining stage may constitute sufficient processing for some oil products, but others, such as gasolines and lubricants have to undergo further blending and refining treatment before they reach the necessary standard. There has over recent years a shift away from kerosines to gasolines as the petroleum products most in demand and this has necessitated new refined techniques as the market for gasoline in many areas exceeds its natural occurrence in crude petroleum. Removal of sulphur and heavy metals is also essential for most oil products. Cracking techniques, including catalytic cracking and thermal cracking have therefore been developed to breakdown the larger hydrocarbon molecules making up the middle distillate range into smaller ones suitable for blending into motor spirit, and for use as petrochemical feedstock. The blending of refinery products to meet the specific requirements of the modern spark-ignition engine also requires the introduction of additives such as organo-lead compounds not produced as part of the normal refinery process.

  Note :

  It is now common practice for oil refineries to be situated close to centres of consumption, rather than at the supply source, but in the formative days of the petroleum industry and certainly up to the Second World War it was usual to refine petroleum at the point of production, e.g. Middle East, Caribbean area. The economics of oil production and refining dictated the need to transport large quantities of crude oil in tankers of ever-increasing size long distances to huge, modern refinery complexes such as those situated at Rotterdam in Holland. It seems likely that the Middle East producing countries, aware of their new-found power and anxious to build up their home-based industries, will in future be far keener to sell refined petroleum products rather than straightforward crude.

  Terme :

  1. petroleum refining

  Terme associé :

  1. oil refining