How is gasoline refined from oil?

Answer 1

Well, Robert said it very well.

At a layman level: Think of crude oil is a mixture of lots of different compounds with different boiling temperatures.

We use this difference in boiling temperatures to separate them in big towers called distillation columns.

This is only the beginning of the process. Gasoline is a mixture of lots of fractions coming from many units inside a refinery.

Answer 2

Very brief answer on some of the processes I was once somewhat familiar with neglecting some detail. Crude oil is distilled in a large distillation column into a number of fractions. One of these fractions containing hydrocarbons about in the range C5 to C10 is called naptha. It contains too many saturated and straight chain molecules to have a high enough octane rating for use in motor cars. It also contains sulphur compounds. The sulphur can be converted to H2S and distilled off in a process known as distillate hydro treating. In this process the distillate with hydrogen is passed over a catalyst (I think at about 100 to 150 psig and 500 or 600F) where the reactions occur. The distillate can then be passed on to a catalytic reformer which converts a lot of the paraffins and napthenes to aromatic compounds which have a high octane number. The reformer reactors operates at temperatures approaching 1000F at the inlets and typically pressures 300 to 350 psig. The catalyst is platinum in porous silicate beads. The process is endothermic and produces excess hydrogen. Heavier crude oil fractions can also be converted in part to lighter fractions with the right boiling point for gasoline. The processes are fluidised bed catalytic cracking and hydrocracking. Isobutane is also sometimes converted to heavier material in a process known as alkylation.

Answer 3

Basically Heat and pressure cause the separation of the gas from the crude oil.

That is the easiest way to tell you

Boilermaker Local 13.
I have tore them apart and put them together.

Answer 4

Principally by distillation. However there are many other steps such as reforming, blending, cracking etc,etc. It all starts by feeding crude oil to a distillation column.

Well done Robert! A complete answer that a lazy b****r like me failed to do!

Answer 5

crude oil is heated at a certain temperature to form petrol and an other for diesel