Crude Oil

       ^Un-refined

- Anaerobically (cut off oxygen supply) decomposed from remains of plants and animals

- Complex mixture of different hydrocarbons

- Non-renewable (finite) resource

- Used as raw material in production of fossil fuels

- Useless until separated by fractional distillation

Fractional Distillation

- Done on industrial scale in fractionating column

- Different fractions have different boiling points

-Each fraction contains molecules with similar number of carbon atoms – so     similar boiling points

- HOT at the BOTTOM and COLD at the TOP

- Condenses as fractions according to boiling points

Main Fractions and Uses

Top to Bottom

1.    Refinery Gases > LPG, domestic heating and cooking

2.    Gasoline > petrol fuel for cars

3.    Kerosene > fuel for aviation, domestic heating, oil paraffin for small heaters and lamps

4.    Diesel Fuel > fuel for buses, lorries, railway engine, cars. Cracked to make more petrol

5.    Fuel Oil > ships boilers and industrial heating

6.    Bitumen> mixed with rock chippings…