CRUDE OIL & PETROCHEMICALS 

The petroleum that comes out from oil production is a mixture of liquid, gaseous, and solid hydrocarbon found naturally underground.

Hydrocarbons are compounds containing carbon and hydrogen only. Crude oil is the liquid form of the unrefined petroleum. It is a dark brown or greenish flammable liquid. It consists of a complex mixture of various hydrocarbons that differ in appearance, composition, and purity. Crude oil also contains small particles of materials such as sulfur and metals. Other forms of petroleum are natural gas, which is stored in cylinders and used for cooking, and bitumen used for tarring our roads.

PETRO CHEMICALS

These are chemical compounds which are derived from the refining of petroleum. For example, methane is a refinery product that is used to produce carbon black and gas. Other examples of petrochemicals include;

1) Ethane and propane

2) Plastics such as polyethylene, synthetic fibers (nylon), rubber, etc

3) Detergent

4) Chemicals used for manufacturing paints, medicine, insecticides, herbicides, nematicides, rodenticides, avicides etc.

The process of deriving these petrochemicals involves the refining of crude oil, treatment of the crude fractions, and finally production of the organic compounds that could form the bases of other industrial productions.

REFINING OF CRUDE OIL

Crude oil produced from the rock is piped straight into oil storage tanks. From the storage tanks crude oil is transported to the refinery where it is separated into its components. Since crude oil is a mixture, a physical method of separation is used. This method is called fractional distillation.

The fundamental process is refining which separates crude oil into its components and has different boiling points. The refining process therefore involves fractional distillation of crude oil into fractions, purification, and conversion of the fractions into more useful products.

The fractional distillation refining process involves the following steps:

       i. Petroleum gas or refinery gas: this is obtained at the uppermost part of the tower. It is the product with the least boiling point. Heating the crude oil in the gas furnace at a high temperature of 500 degrees Celsius to 600 degrees Celsius by passing it through heating pipes in the gas furnace.

      ii. The vapour is passed into a tall fractionation tower, the temperature of which varies from 400 degrees at the top.

     iii. Fractions of crude oil are collected from the different temperature levels in the trays of the tower. Each tray usually contains many bubble caps through which the vapors with similar boiling temperatures pass and condense. The most volatile components are collected at the bottom of the tower.

      These fractions can be differentiated from one another by their different texture, color, odor, volatility, and ease of ignition and burning. Nigeria has a lot of crude oil which is distilled in refineries to give us useful products which include:

  i. Petroleum gas or refinery gas: this is obtained at the uppermost part of the tower. It is the product with the least boiling point. 

  ii. Petrol or Gasoline: This is the second product with a relatively high-temperature range and several carbon constituents than the refining gas.

   iii. Naphtha: This has a higher number of carbon atoms per molecule than petrol and it is usually further refined to form petrol.

    Iv. Kerosene or Paraffin oil: It is a liquid with a higher viscosity than both naphtha and gasoline

    v. Light Gas: It is a very viscous product.

    vi. Heavy gas oil: It is more viscous than light gas, and it is usually coloured.

   vii. Lubricating oil, fuel oil, and bitumen: They are usually referred to as residues; they are thick and non-volatile products.

USES OF PETROCHEMICALS

Petrochemicals are used as raw materials for industrial production of essential materials such as:

1. Raw materials for the production of polymers (plastics), paints, synthetic rubber, and textiles.

        ii. Food additives.

       iii. Cosmetics.

       iv. Pesticides

       v. Fertilizers.

     IMPORTANCE OF CRUDE OIL AND PETROCHEMICALS.

  i.Source of Income:  It serves as a major source of income in Nigeria and other oil-exporting countries.

  ii. Source of energy: Energy for heating and motor vehicles can be obtained from crude oil.

  iii.  Employment opportunities: Its exploration and exploitation (refining, distribution, marketing, exportation, etc) create employment opportunities.

  iv.  Raw materials for industries: Products are sources of industrial raw materials thus making our industries functional.