ABSTRACT
In the unrefined (raw) state crude oil, heavy crude oil, extra heavy crude oil, and tar sand bitumen have minimal value, but when used as feedstocks for the refinery, the result is a variety of high-value liquid fractions that can serve as (1) feedstocks for the production of fuels, solvents, and lubricants, or (2) sources of many other products. However, the types (and values) of the products produced in a refinery are not only dependent upon the processes but also to the refinery feedstocks but also on the composition and properties of the feedstocks.
The focus of this chapter is on the composition and properties of the various viscous feedstocks as well as the non-viscous fractions of crude oil which are also used for the production of products through the application of thermal cracking processes and catalytic cracking processes. These are (1) naphtha, (2) kerosene or middle distillate, and (3) gas oil. These products are typically produced from the conventional refinery feedstocks (i.e., conventional crude oil) but are, nevertheless, worthy of mention as potential feedstocks for thermal; cracking processes and catalytic cracking processes as feedstocks that lead to a range of products that also includes petrochemical products.
Therefore, it is the purpose of this chapter to provide a description of the viscous feedstocks (i.e., heavy crude oil, extra heavy crude oil, and tar sand bitumen) that can be used for the production of the distillates from which the high-value products can be produced.
