How is petroleum made into usable products?
Before petroleum can be used, it must go through a process called refining. Oklahoma has five oil refineries and 73 natural gas processing plants. Through refining, oil is heated until it separates into many different parts. These parts are then used to make products like gasoline, jet fuel, heating fuel, tar and plastics. Natural gas is much easier to refine. It is cleaned and then a harmless odor, called mercaptan, is added for safety reasons. Back to top What nonrenewable energy source is abundant in Oklahoma? Petroleum (oil and natural gas) is considered a nonrenewable energy source because it takes millions of years to form. Oklahoma is the nation’s fifth-leading producer of oil (3.3% of U.S. production) and the third-leading producer of natural gas (8.2% of U.S. production). Seventy-one of Oklahoma currently produces petroleum in 73 of its 77 counties.
