Refining+Crude+Oil

Refining Crude Oil-
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. A fossil fuel is formed when large quanities of dead organisms, usually zooplankton and algae, are buried underneath sedimentary rock and undergo intense heat and pressure.

Cracking is the process of breaking down long chain hydrocarbons into smaller molecules. Two forms of cracking that are used are thermal cracking and catalytic cracking. Thermal cracking requires high temperatures. Catalytic cracking is where a catalyst reduces the activation energy needed to start the cracking process. Meaning that the catalyst lowers the temperature required to perform the reaction and the energy needed.