Lecture Notes: Gasoline Production

Introduction to Gasoline Usage and Production

• Global Vehicle Usage: Approximately 800 million vehicles use about 7 billion liters of fuel daily.
• Complex Task: Keeping gas stations filled with gasoline is complex and potentially dangerous.

The Oil Industry in Texas

• Historical Background:
  • Drilling since 1894 in Texas.
  • Oil industry surged in 1901 with a significant increase in US oil production.
  • Nearly 60 billion barrels extracted, with 10 billion barrels in reserves.
• Importance of Crude Oil:
  • Primary fuel for vehicles.
  • Contributes to 50% of energy needs.
  • Basis for products like plastics, tires, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

Formation and Extraction of Crude Oil

• Formation Process:
  • Organic material transformed under heat and pressure over 250 million years.
  • Crude oil referred to as "Black Gold" in Texas.
• Drilling Process:
  • Over 2,000 new wells dug monthly in Texas.
  • Use of seismic technology to locate reservoirs.
  • Challenges include heat management and risk of gas emissions.

Refining Process

• Basic Refining Stages:
  • Crude oil processed into gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel.
  • Uses a refinery with a complex system of pipelines.
• Separation by Distillation:
  • Crude oil heated to 370°C and different hydrocarbons are separated based on boiling points.
  • Products include gasoline, diesel, kerosene, propane, lubricants, and plastics.

Transportation and Safety

• Pipeline Transportation:
  • Oil transported via pipelines over long distances.
  • Largest refinery processes 562,000 barrels daily.
• Safety Measures:
  • Use of grounding cables during tanker loading to prevent static electricity.
  • Vapor recovery pipes prevent atmospheric dispersion of vapors.

Conclusion

• Labor and Costs: Acknowledge the effort and risks undertaken by workers and producers in the oil industry.
• Further Learning: Reference to further resources on asphalt production.