ABSTRACT
Petroleum refining is now in a significant transition period as the industry moves into the 21st century and the demand for petroleum and petroleum products has shown a sharp growth in recent years (Chapter 3). The demand for transportation fuels and fuel oil is forecast to continue to show a steady growth in the future. The simplest means to cover the demand growth in lowboiling products is to increase the imports of light crude oils and low-boiling petroleum products, but these steps may be limited in the future.
