After crude oil is extracted from the earth's surface, it is then refined so that the various hydrocarbons contained within are separated into useable fuels or products. Crude oil is injected through a furnace where it is vaporized at temperatures of around 600°C (1,100°F), before it then passes into a distillation column, where it separates into different fuels - these fuels form when the various hydrocarbons that make up crude oil begin to condense at different temperatures.
For example, as the vapor cools as rises up the distillation tower, the hydrocarbons that make up diesel condense at roughly 300°C and are then extracted, while the hydrocarbons that make up gasoline condense at around 150°C. This means that diesel is thicker than gasoline when both are at the same temperature, which can help explain their differences in use as vehicle fuel - diesel burns more slowly and has greater torque and fuel efficiency, while gasoline burns faster and produces more power.
General temperature at which various fuels and other products are produced during crude oil refinement
(in degrees Celsius)
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American Geosciences Institute. (January 1, 2018). General temperature at which various fuels and other products are produced during crude oil refinement (in degrees Celsius) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved January 08, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1359873/temperature-oil-refining-products-produced/
American Geosciences Institute. "General temperature at which various fuels and other products are produced during crude oil refinement (in degrees Celsius)." Chart. January 1, 2018. Statista. Accessed January 08, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1359873/temperature-oil-refining-products-produced/
American Geosciences Institute. (2018). General temperature at which various fuels and other products are produced during crude oil refinement (in degrees Celsius). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: January 08, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1359873/temperature-oil-refining-products-produced/
American Geosciences Institute. "General Temperature at Which Various Fuels and Other Products Are Produced during Crude Oil Refinement (in Degrees Celsius)." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 Jan 2018, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1359873/temperature-oil-refining-products-produced/
American Geosciences Institute, General temperature at which various fuels and other products are produced during crude oil refinement (in degrees Celsius) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1359873/temperature-oil-refining-products-produced/ (last visited January 08, 2025)
General temperature at which various fuels and other products are produced during crude oil refinement (in degrees Celsius) [Graph], American Geosciences Institute, January 1, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1359873/temperature-oil-refining-products-produced/