What are “refined” oil products?
• Once delivered to a refinery, the crude oil is subjected to distillation and other separation and refinement processes. The resulting products from these processes are a number of fractions with different characteristics and ranges of use: natural gas; raw gasoline (benzine and naphta), the end product of which is petrol (gasoline); intermediate distillates, the end products of which include light gas (fuel) oil, diesel oil, aviation fuels, kerosene, etc.; heavy distillates, giving end products like heavy gas (fuel) oil for cracking processes, as well as lubricants, waxes, etc.; residues, the end products of which are heavy fuel oils, asphalt (bithumen), tar and coke. • Refined oil products are, roughly, divided into the four main categories: Fuels. Lubricants. Vaxes. Asphalt (bitumen). Fuels is the largest of these categories, with the largest product volumes and number of products. Oil is also the raw material for industry to manufacture thousands of industrial and consumer product
