The production of oxygenated gasolines is described and discussed further in the
chapter on “▶ Petroleum Products and a Refinery Configuration.”
The Nonenergy Refineries
In addition to the energy-related refineries, which occupy most of this book, there
are two major types of nonenergy-producing refineries. These are the lube oil
refinery and the petrochemical refineries. These are summarized below:
The Lube Oil Refinery
The schematic flow diagram (Fig. 16) shows a typical lube oil-producing refinery
configuration. In this case, the processes used involve extraction and dewaxing of
conventional petroleum stocks. Only about eight or nine base lube oil stocks are
produced from refinery streams. The many hundreds of commercial grades of lubricating oils used in industry and transportation are blends of these base stocks with some
small amounts of proprietary additives (mostly organic acid derivatives) included to
meet their required specifications. There are also two quite important by-products of
lube oil. These are bitumen and waxes. Most refineries include bitumen blending in
their configuration, but only a few of the older refineries process the waxes. These are
exported to manufacturers specializing in wax and grease production.
Newer lube oil production processes are based on:
• High-temperature and high-pressure hydrocracking, hydrodewaxing, and
hydrofinishing
• Conversion of natural gas to liquids (GTL) with subsequent hydrocracking and
hydrodewaxing/finishing
While the extraction/dewaxing approach is still used for some oils, most new
engine oils require the product qualities produced by the hydrocracking or GTL
processes. It is still instructional to understand the needs for lube oils by reviewing
the older process scheme.
Lube oil production starts with the vacuum distillation of atmospheric residue.
This feedstock is usually cut into three distillate streams each meeting a boiling
range which gives streams with viscosity meeting the finished blending product
specifications. The lighter stream is taken off as the top side stream and is further
distilled again under vacuum to three light lube oil blending cuts. These are called
spindle oils and, when finished, will form the basis of light lubes used for domestic
purposes such as sewing machine, bicycle, and other home lubricant requirements.
Some of the heavier spindle oils are also used as blend stocks for light motor oils.
These spindle oils require very little treatment for finishing. Usually, a mild
hydrotreating suffices to meet the color requirement.
44
D.S.J. Jones
chapter on “▶ Petroleum Products and a Refinery Configuration.”
The Nonenergy Refineries
In addition to the energy-related refineries, which occupy most of this book, there
are two major types of nonenergy-producing refineries. These are the lube oil
refinery and the petrochemical refineries. These are summarized below:
The Lube Oil Refinery
The schematic flow diagram (Fig. 16) shows a typical lube oil-producing refinery
configuration. In this case, the processes used involve extraction and dewaxing of
conventional petroleum stocks. Only about eight or nine base lube oil stocks are
produced from refinery streams. The many hundreds of commercial grades of lubricating oils used in industry and transportation are blends of these base stocks with some
small amounts of proprietary additives (mostly organic acid derivatives) included to
meet their required specifications. There are also two quite important by-products of
lube oil. These are bitumen and waxes. Most refineries include bitumen blending in
their configuration, but only a few of the older refineries process the waxes. These are
exported to manufacturers specializing in wax and grease production.
Newer lube oil production processes are based on:
• High-temperature and high-pressure hydrocracking, hydrodewaxing, and
hydrofinishing
• Conversion of natural gas to liquids (GTL) with subsequent hydrocracking and
hydrodewaxing/finishing
While the extraction/dewaxing approach is still used for some oils, most new
engine oils require the product qualities produced by the hydrocracking or GTL
processes. It is still instructional to understand the needs for lube oils by reviewing
the older process scheme.
Lube oil production starts with the vacuum distillation of atmospheric residue.
This feedstock is usually cut into three distillate streams each meeting a boiling
range which gives streams with viscosity meeting the finished blending product
specifications. The lighter stream is taken off as the top side stream and is further
distilled again under vacuum to three light lube oil blending cuts. These are called
spindle oils and, when finished, will form the basis of light lubes used for domestic
purposes such as sewing machine, bicycle, and other home lubricant requirements.
Some of the heavier spindle oils are also used as blend stocks for light motor oils.
These spindle oils require very little treatment for finishing. Usually, a mild
hydrotreating suffices to meet the color requirement.
44
D.S.J. Jones