Sylvie Willis
A barrel of oil, containing 42 gallons, can be refined into a large number of petroleum products. The refining process separates different hydrocarbons, such as gasoline, diesel, asphalt, and propane, through methods like fractional distillation. This process results in an increase in volume, with 170 liters of refined petroleum products obtained from 159 liters of crude oil. The yield of individual products varies based on market demands and refinery location, but on average, a barrel of oil produces 19 to 20 gallons of gasoline and 11 to 13 gallons of distillate, which is further distributed into different diesel fuels and fuel oils. While transportation and utility fuels dominate, crude oil also produces essential materials like wax and plastic, with about 10% of refined products used for these industries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Barrel of oil (in gallons) | 42 |
| Crude oil (in gallons) | 159 |
| Refined products (in gallons) | 45 |
| Gasoline (in gallons) | 19-20 |
| Gasoline (in litres) | 73 |
| Ultra-low-sulfur distillate fuel oil (ULSD) (in gallons) | 11-13 |
| ULSD (in gallons) | 11 |
| Heating oil and biodiesel (in gallons) | 12 |
| Kerosene (in gallons) | 4 |
| Kerosene (in litres) | 15.5 |
| Asphalt | 4% |
| Plastics, cosmetics, and textiles | 10% |
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What You'll Learn
Gasoline: 19-20 gallons per barrel
Gasoline is one of the most important and prevalent refined products derived from crude oil. It is used as fuel for standard passenger vehicles, boats, power tools, and small engines.
Petroleum refineries in the United States produce about 19 to 20 gallons of motor gasoline from one 42-gallon barrel of crude oil. This amount can vary slightly, with some sources stating that up to 20 gallons of gasoline can be obtained from a barrel of oil. This variation may be due to differences in the refining process and market demands.
In addition to gasoline, a barrel of crude oil yields approximately 11 to 12 gallons of ultra-low-sulfur distillate fuel oil, which is often sold as diesel fuel and heating oil. Other products derived from a barrel of oil include kerosene, jet fuel, hydrocarbon gas liquids, residual fuel, asphalt, lubricants, and waxes.
The refining process increases the overall volume of crude oil, resulting in approximately 170 liters of refined petroleum products from an initial 159 liters of crude oil. This increase in volume is known as ""processing gain"" and is due to the lower density of the majority of refined products compared to crude oil.
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Diesel: 11-13 gallons per barrel
A barrel of crude oil typically contains 42 gallons. However, the refining process increases the volume of the oil, resulting in approximately 45 gallons of salable refined crude oil products. These products include ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD), kerosene/jet fuel, hydrocarbon gas liquids, residual fuel, and others.
ULSD, also used interchangeably with heating oil and biodiesel, is the second-largest portion of a refined oil barrel. It equates to roughly 11-13 gallons, or about 25%, of the finished product.
The amount of diesel fuel obtained from a barrel of oil can vary depending on market demands and the location of the refinery. Diesel fuel prices are influenced by the price of crude oil, which accounts for around 50% of the final cost of diesel.
In liters, diesel and heating oil make up about 40 liters of the final 170 liters of refined petroleum products obtained from a barrel of crude oil. This volume includes not only the diesel fuel but also other products derived from the crude oil, such as gasoline and kerosene-type jet fuels.
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Kerosene: 4 gallons per barrel
Kerosene is one of the many refined products derived from crude oil. It is a light petroleum distillate commonly used as fuel in heaters, lamps, cooking stoves, and water heaters. Kerosene is also used as jet fuel, powering aircraft.
The amount of kerosene derived from a barrel of crude oil depends on the barrel's volume. A 42-gallon barrel of crude oil yields approximately 4 gallons of kerosene, or about 9% of the total refined products. In liters, this equates to around 15.5 liters of kerosene from a 159-liter barrel of crude oil, resulting in 170 liters of total refined petroleum products.
The amount of kerosene and other refined products obtained from a barrel of crude oil can vary based on market demands and the location of the refinery. The refining process involves separating different hydrocarbons, primarily by their boiling points, which results in a diverse array of products, each serving distinct purposes across various industries.
Kerosene, being a refined product, is subject to price dynamics influenced by geography, market fundamentals, industry tendencies, and the complexities of the refining process. Understanding these factors provides valuable insights into the multifaceted petroleum industry and the importance of kerosene within it.
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Asphalt: 4% of refined oil
Asphalt: A By-Product of Processing Crude Oil for Petroleum
Asphalt is a by-product of processing crude oil for petroleum. It is composed of the heavier, longer hydrocarbon chains from crude oil. Crude oil can be made of a thousand to several hundred thousand different hydrocarbon compounds. Each of them has different characteristics, such as weight, viscosity, and boiling point. Crude oil will boil at approximately 150 degrees Fahrenheit, 450 degrees, 750 degrees, and 900 degrees.
The fractional distillation process ("cracking") commonly used to refine petroleum produces a variety of useful petro-chemicals from the very heavy bitumen, up through kerosene and on to LPG gas. Gasoline is usually the most desired fraction of the distillate products, but various types of crude oils contain different proportions of the various products.
The process of creating asphalt involves first treating the fractions to remove impurities. Then, flasher tops and bottoms are mixed with a catalyst in the cat cracker to create smaller and more valuable molecules. This is done at 650–1100 degrees Fahrenheit. Cat cracking breaks molecules but will also form a full range of hydrocarbons as well as coke, or pure carbon. These can then be distilled as in regular operations, to create a wider range of hydrocarbons from the heavies coming from straight run distillation. Finally, the different fractions are combined to create the final product. Other additives may be mixed in with the fractions at this time. This may produce gasoline of different octane ratings, or asphalt at different PG ratings.
There are three large natural deposits of asphalt (or bitumen) in Alberta, Canada, that are known as the Athabasca Oil Sands. Their total surface area is about 54,000 square miles (141,000 square kilometres). The oil sands consist of about 83% sand, 3% clay, 4% water, and 10% asphalt. The proven reserves of asphalt in those deposits are about 1.7 × 10^12 barrels (270 Gm^3).
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Hydrocarbon gas liquids: propane and butane
A 42-gallon barrel of crude oil contains approximately 45 gallons of salable refined crude oil products, including ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD), kerosene/jet fuel, hydrocarbon gas liquids, residual fuel, and many others.
Hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGL) are versatile products used in every end-use sector, including residential, commercial, industrial (manufacturing and agriculture), transportation, and electric power. Propane, a hydrocarbon gas liquid, is used as a fuel in areas where the supply of natural gas is limited or unavailable. Propane is also used as a feedstock in the petrochemical industry to produce ethylene, propylene, and other olefins. Propane can be pressurized or cooled into a liquid for transportation and storage.
Butane, another hydrocarbon gas liquid, is used to produce alkylates, which increase octane in gasoline and control its volatility. High-purity isobutane can also be used as a refrigerant. Natural gasoline, or pentanes plus, can be blended into the fuels used in internal combustion engines, such as motor gasoline.
The United States generally imports propane to supplement domestic production, especially during the autumn and winter months, to meet demand from farmers and for space heating in buildings. The US has recently become a net exporter of propane and butanes, known collectively as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), due to increased production and export capacity.
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Frequently asked questions
On average, 19 to 20 gallons of gasoline can be refined from a 42-gallon barrel of crude oil.
Approximately 11 to 13 gallons of distillate, which includes diesel fuel and fuel oils, can be refined from a barrel of crude oil.
Aside from vehicle fuels, a barrel of oil can be refined into kerosene, hydrocarbon gas liquids, asphalt, lubricants, aviation gasoline, naphthas, waxes, plastics, and more.
The majority of refined products have a lower density than crude oil, resulting in an increase in volume known as "processing gain".
