What is Oil Refining Process?

A petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil (extracted from the sub-
surface of the Earth) is distilled and separated into many fractions, all of which are used in day-
to-day activities.

Crude oil, when extracted from the sub-surface looks typically like this:

A blackish colored liquid, viscous in nature.

Crude oil in this form is of very little use to us. This black, viscous liquid though contains a
number of useful components which are extracted/separated with the help of a petroleum
refinery.

The petroleum refinery works on fractional distillation principle; the crude oil is heated up to
very high temperatures in a distillation column. The intense heat causes the oil to break down
into smaller fractions. These smaller fractions get easily vaporized and are then extracted on the
basis of their boiling points by use of trays.
This is a basic diagram of the different products obtained from the distillation of crude oil.
Seeing as how these fractions are used in our daily lives, petroleum refineries play a key role in
maintaining our current, modern lifestyles.
Seismic Exploration
3D Seismic Map