Products of oil refinery

Refining involves separating hydrocarbons into groups of products with similar boiling points (known as oil fractions).

Petrols evaporate at ambient temperatures. Lubricating oils only evaporate at over 400°C. The different oil cuts separated by this process are cleared of the impurities present in crude oil.

Compounds which are useful for the chemical industry, in particular solvents and plastics, are also separated out.

The overall consumption of petroleum products and their different usages: transport, heating, electricity generation, household products, varies considerably from one country to another.

A refinery by night (Provence, France)