Downstream (petroleum industry)

Downstream (petroleum industry)

The petroleum industry is usually divided into three major components: Upstream, midstream and downstream. Midstream operations are usually included in the downstream category.

The downstream oil sector is a term commonly used to refer to the refining of crude oil, and the selling and distribution of natural gas and products derived from crude oil. Such products include liquified petroleum gas (LPG), gasoline or petrol, jet fuel, diesel oil, other fuel oils, asphalt and petroleum coke.

The downstream sector includes oil refineries[1], petrochemical plants, petroleum product distribution, retail outlets and natural gas distribution companies. The downstream industry touches consumers through thousands of products such as petrol, diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, asphalt, lubricants, synthetic rubber, plastics, fertilizers, antifreeze, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, natural gas and propane.

Byproduct sulfur

Crude oil is a mixture of many varieties of hydrocarbons, and may contain sulfurous compounds. The refining process converts most of that sulfur into hydrogen sulfide.
Raw natural gas also may contain gaseous hydrogen sulphide and sulfur-containing mercaptans, which are removed in natural gas processing plants before the gas is distributed to consumers.
The hydrogen sulfide removed in the refining and processing of crude oil and natural gas is subsequently converted into byproduct elemental sulfur. In fact, the vast majority of the 64,000,000 metric tons of sulfur produced worldwide in 2005 was byproduct sulphur from refineries and natural gas processing plants.[2][3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Gary, J.H. and Handwerk, G.E. (1984). Petroleum Refining Technology and Economics (2nd Edition ed.). Marcel Dekker, Inc. ISBN 0-8247-7150-8. 
  2. ^ Sulphur production report by the United States Geological Survey
  3. ^ Discussion of recovered byproduct sulphur

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Downstream (oil industry) — The petroleum industry is usually divided into three major components: Upstream, midstream and downstream. Midstream operations are usually included in the downstream category.The downstream oil sector is a term commonly used to refer to the… …   Wikipedia

  • Petroleum industry — The distribution of oil and gas reserves among the world s 50 largest oil companies. The reserves of the privately owned companies are grouped together. The oil produced by the supermajor companies accounts for less than 15% of the total world… …   Wikipedia

  • Petroleum industry in Nigeria — The petroleum industry in Nigeria is the largest industry and main generator of GDP in the West African nation which is also the continent s most populous. Since the British discovered oil in the Niger Delta in the late 1950s, the oil industry… …   Wikipedia

  • Petroleum industry in Western Australia — Western Australia s share of Australian gas reserves The petroleum industry in Western Australia is the largest contributor to Australia s production of most petroleum products.[1] Based largely on development of the reserves of the North West… …   Wikipedia

  • Downstream — Contents 1 Science 1.1 Molecular biology 2 Entertainment 3 …   Wikipedia

  • Petroleum production in Canada — Petroleum production is a major industry in Canada. In 2005, almost 25,000 new oil wells were spud (drilled) in Canada. Daily, over 100 new wells are spud in the province of Alberta alone [ [http://www.nickles.com/rig/ Canadian Rig Locator] ] .… …   Wikipedia

  • Petroleum — For other uses, see Petroleum (disambiguation). Proven world oil reserves, 2009 …   Wikipedia

  • Petroleum in Nigeria — The extraction and drilling of petroleum in Nigeria is the largest industry and main generator of GDP in the West African nation which is also the continent s most populous. Since the British discovered oil in the Niger Delta in the late 1950s,… …   Wikipedia

  • Petroleum in Western Australia — The Western Australian petroleum industry is the largest contributor to Australia s production of most petroleum products. [citeweb|url=http://www.appea.com.au/index.php?option=com content task=blogsection id=7 Itemid=32|title=2007 Production… …   Wikipedia

  • Petroleum politics — Argentine president Néstor Kirchner and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez discuss the Gran Gasoducto del Suran energy and trade integration project for South America. They met on November 21, 2005 in Venezuela. Petroleum politics have been an… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”