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Oil Refineries

Definition

Oil refineries are industrial facilities that process crude oil into various petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel. They use complex refining processes to separate and purify different components of crude oil.

Analogy

Think of an oil refinery as a giant kitchen where crude oil is the raw ingredients and the refined products are the delicious dishes. Just like a chef uses different techniques to transform ingredients into a meal, an oil refinery uses various processes to convert crude oil into useful fuels.

Related terms

Crude Oil: Unrefined petroleum extracted from underground reservoirs.

Petrochemicals: Chemical compounds derived from petroleum used in manufacturing plastics, fertilizers, and other products.

Distillation: A refining process that separates different components of crude oil based on their boiling points.

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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.