Crude oil is separated into fractions using fractional distillation based on differences in boiling points. The fractions include LPG, gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, diesel, lubricating oil, fuel oil, and residue. Most fractions are useful as fuels due to their energy content when burned, such as gasoline for cars, diesel for trucks and buses, fuel oil for ships and power generation, and kerosene for jet fuel and heating. Naphtha also has non-fuel uses like solvents and in producing chemicals and plastics.

1. KeywordsKeywords::
Fractionating column, fractionsFractionating column, fractions
Prior Learning:Prior Learning:
Know what a hydrocarbon & alkane is.Know what a hydrocarbon & alkane is.

2. Learning Objectives: Identify and explain
• That crude oil is separated using fractional distillation.
• The properties of each fraction and how they relate to chain length.
• Which fractions make useful fuels and why.
I will be successful in this lesson if I can:
(Level C)
• State that crude oil is separated into fractions by fractional
distillation.
• List how the properties change from small chain fractions to
long chain fractions.
• State which fractions are useful fuels.
(Level A)
• Explain the key steps involved in fractional distillation.
• Relate the trend in properties to molecular size.

3. What fuels have you used already today?
Transport
Petrol
Diesel
Gas
Heating
Oil
Gas
Cooking
Gas
Charcoal
Lighting
Gas
Oil
Even electricity is likely to have been produced by fossil fuels

4. What is Crude Oil & Crude Oil Refining?
• Crude oil, also known as black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish
flammable liquid, which is found in the upper strata of some regions of the
Earth's crust
• It is a complex mixture of various hydrocarbons, (mainly, alkanes), along with
trances of other chemicals and compounds (e.g. Sulphur)
• When extracted from underground, it ranges in density from very light to very
heavy and in color, from yellow to black
• Crude oil can be categorized as either "sweet crude" (where the sulphur
content less than 0.5%) or "sour crude," (where the sulphur content is at least
2.5%)
An Oil Refinery
 Crude oil must undergo several
separation processes so that its
components can be obtained and used
as fuels or converted to more valuable
products
 The process of transforming crude oil
into finished petroleum products (that
the market demands) is called crude oil
refining

5. Fractional DistillationFractional Distillation
What is it???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26AN1LfbUPc&feature=player_embeddehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26AN1LfbUPc&feature=player_embedded
1. Where is crude oil formed and how is it extracted?
2. What is crude oil?
3. What are the simple state changes used in this distillation?
4. What property of the crude oil fractions cause them to separate in
the fractionating column?

6. Fractional distillation
Explain how the fractionating column works.
Click to
continue

7. Fractions of Crude Oil & Their
Properties
Name
Number of
Carbon Atoms
Boiling Point
(°C)
Uses
Refinery Gas 3 or 4 below 30
Bottled Gas
(propane or butane).
Gasoline 7 to 9 100 to 150
Fuel for car
engines.
Naphtha 6 to 11 70 to 200
Solvents
and used in gasoline.
Kerosene (paraffin) 11 to 18 200 to 300
Fuel for aircraft
and stoves.
Diesel Oil 11 to 18 200 to 300
Fuel for road vehicles
and trains.
Lubricating Oil 18 to 25 300 to 400
Lubricant for engines
and machines.
Fuel Oil 20 to 27 350 to 450
Fuel for ships
and heating.
Greases and Wax 25 to 30 400 to 500
Lubricants
and candles.
Bitumen above 35 above 500
Road surface
and roofing.

8. Over 85% of crude oil is used as a fuel for heating and
transport. Only 8% is used to make plastics and other
chemicals.
A fuel is a substance that reacts with oxygen to produce
useful energy.
A large amount of oil is
used as fuel because
the hydrocarbons in the
fractions burn easily and
produce a large amount
of useful energy.

9. Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) contains propane and butane.
They are stored under pressure in metal cylinders.
LPG is used for heating and
cooking, especially where piped
gas cannot be used, such as
camp sites and boats.

10. Gasoline is one of the most important fractions because it is
used as a fuel for cars.
The gasoline fraction must
be refined before it can be
used in cars as petrol.
Impurities are removed,
and chemicals are added
to ensure the engine runs
smoothly.
In the past, these chemicals were lead compounds but
because of lead’s harmful effect on health and the
environment, they have been replaced by safer compounds.

11. Naphtha is a very important fraction that has many uses.
For example, it is:
 added to petrol and other fuels.
 a raw material
(feedstock) in the
production of chemicals
and plastics
 used as a cleaning fluid and industrial solvent
(a substance that can dissolve another substance)

12. Kerosene, also called
paraffin, is mainly used
as aviation fuel for jet
aircraft. It is also used in
central heating systems,
lamps and stoves.
Diesel is mainly used as
a fuel for lorries, buses
and cars, and in some
boats.

13. Lubricating oil, as its name
suggests, is used as a lubricant
in products with moving parts,
such as engines.
Fuel oil is a heavy
fraction used as a fuel
for large industrial
boilers, oil-fired power
stations and ships.

14. Residue contains paraffin waxes and bitumen, the heaviest
product to come from an oil refinery.
Paraffin waxes (not the
same as paraffin/kerosene)
are used in candles and
waterproofing.
Bitumen is used in road
construction and waterproof
roof material.