Crude Oil Flashcards
1
Q
What are the fractions in crude oil and at what temperature do they boil at?
A
- Refinery gas - 20 degrees
- Petrol - 70 degrees
- Naphtha - 120 degrees
- Kerosene - 170 degrees
- Diesel - 210 degrees
- Lubricating oil - degrees
- Fuel oil -
- Bitumen - 340 degrees
2
Q
Outline the industrial process of separating crude oil.
A
- The crude oil is heated into a gas, & enters fractionating column with condensers at several points. The column is heated from bottom - creates a temperature gradient.
- Each fraction has a mixture of hydrocarbons with a similar number of carbon atoms and similar boiling points, which creates boiling ranges within individual fractions. - When the oil is heated, the molecules are supplied with extra energy to move around. Eventually, when the molecules have enough energy they can overcome the weak intermolecular forces that keep them with the other molecules.
- Shorter hydrocarbons condense and drain out much later on near the top where it’s cooler.
- Intermolecular forces between smaller molecules are weaker than in bigger molecules, so they have lower boiling points.
3
Q
How does crude oil form?
A
- Dead organic matter (D.O.M) falls the sea bed and gets covered with lots of sand and mud.
- High levels of heat and pressure, gradually over time turn the D.O.M into crude oil.
4
Q
Give the uses of crude oil.
A
- Provides fuel for most modern transport i.e trains
- The petrochemical industry uses some hydrocarbons from crude oil as a feedstock for making new compounds for use in products like detergents, lubricants, and solvents.
5
Q
Why is crude oil a finite resource?
A
- Supplies of crude oil are limited and unrenewable.
- The use of crude oil is not sustainable, and we should develop alternative energy sources.
- We need to balance the short term benefits of crude oil, with the need to conserve it for the future.
- Crude oil is useless if unrefined because its hydrocarbon chain is too long.
