PETROLEUM REFINING

conversion of crude oil into useful products. Additional reading General references include Bill D. Berger and Kenneth E. Anderson, Modern Petroleum: A Basic Primer of the Industry, 3rd ed. (1992), a nontechnical introduction to the entire petroleum industry that provides a good understanding of the interaction between exploration, drilling, transportation, refining, petrochemicals, and marketing; Daniel Yergin, The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power (1991), a popular history of the petroleum industry from 1850 to 1990, highlighting the development of major refinery processes and describing their impact on the evolution of the entire industry worldwide; and the International Petroleum Encyclopedia (annual), summarizing the activities of all phases of the international petroleum and natural gas industries, with statistics, maps, and tables.A simple introduction to petroleum refinery processes is William L. Leffler, Petroleum Refining for the Non-Technical Person, 2nd ed. (1985), with chapters on each major process. More detailed descriptions of processes and typical operating considerations are provided in G.D. Hobson (ed.), Modern Petroleum Technology, 5th ed., 2 vol. (1984); Robert A. Meyers (ed.), Handbook of Petroleum Refining Processes (1986); James G. Speight, The Chemistry and Technology of Petroleum, 2nd ed., rev. and expanded (1991); John J. McKetta (ed.), Petroleum Processing Handbook (1992); and James H. Gary and Glenn E. Handwerk, Petroleum Refining: Technology and Economics, 3rd ed. (1994). Purification processes are described in James G. Speight, The Desulfurization of Heavy Oils and Residua (1981).Peter H. Spitz, Petrochemicals: The Rise of an Industry (1988), offers a comprehensive history of the development of the petrochemical industry from its origin in the 1920s to the late 1980s. Robert A. Meyers (ed.), Handbook of Chemicals Production Processes (1986), provides detailed descriptions of a broad range of chemical processes, including those for the major petrochemicals, with process descriptions and diagrams, chemical reactions, and brief process economics.A detailed text on the origin of natural gas and the major natural gas basins of the world is E.N. Tiratsoo, Natural Gas, 3rd ed. (1979), which includes a brief treatment of transportation, storage, and liquefaction of natural gas. Arlon R. Tussing and Connie C. Barlow, The Natural Gas Industry (1984), provides a history of the industry in the United States beginning with coal gasification in the 19th century through the development of government regulatory programs in the 1980s; in addition, the structural evolution of the domestic gas industry is described, with special emphasis on the impact of industry regulations. H. Dale Beggs, Gas Production Operations (1984), is a highly technical publication on the entire gas-processing industry from reservoir engineering through production operations to pipeline transport systems. Lee H. Solomon Petroleum products and their uses Gases Gaseous refinery products include hydrogen, fuel gas, ethane, and propane or LPG. Most of the hydrogen is consumed in refinery desulfurization facilities; small quantities may be delivered to the refinery fuel system. Refinery fuel gas usually has a heating value similar to natural gas and is consumed in plant operations. Periodic variability in heating value makes it unsuitable for delivery to consumer gas systems. Ethane may be recovered from the refinery fuel system for use as a petrochemical feedstock. Liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, is a convenient, portable fuel for domestic heating and cooking or light industrial use. Gasoline Motor gasoline, or petrol, must meet three primary requirements. It must provide an even combustion pattern, start easily in cold weather, and meet prevailing environmental requirements.