Ship fuel, petrol, diesel, gas oil, and aviation fuel are all derived from crude oil through a refining process called fractional distillation. Let's break it down:
Ship fuel: Ship fuel, also known as bunker fuel, is primarily obtained through the refining of crude oil. During the fractional distillation process, crude oil is heated to high temperatures, causing it to vaporize. The vaporized oil is then passed through a fractionating column, where it condenses into different components based on their boiling points. The heavier components obtained from the bottom of the column, including residual oil, are used as ship fuel.
Petrol (Gasoline): To produce petrol, a lighter hydrocarbon fuel used in cars, the refined crude oil is further processed through additional refining steps. These steps involve removing impurities and adjusting the chemical composition to achieve the desired properties of petrol, such as high octane rating and low volatility.
Diesel: Diesel fuel is obtained from crude oil by refining the heavier fractions that do not vaporize easily during fractional distillation. The refining process involves removing impurities and adjusting the chemical composition to ensure optimal combustion in diesel engines.
Gas Oil: Gas oil is another term for diesel fuel, commonly used in industrial applications such as heating, power generation, and heavy machinery.
Aviation Fuel: Aviation fuel, also known as jet fuel, is specifically designed for use in aircraft engines. It is typically derived from the middle distillate range of refined crude oil. The production of aviation fuel involves additional refining and treatment processes to meet stringent aviation safety standards and ensure optimal performance at high altitudes.
Overall, the refining of crude oil into different fuel products involves a complex series of distillation, purification, and chemical treatment steps to obtain the specific properties required for each type of fuel.
