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Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines, which are internal combustion engines that use compression to ignite the fuel without a spark. Diesel fuel is derived from crude oil, which is extracted through drilling and sent to refineries to be turned into diesel, gasoline, and other products. The distillation process separates crude oil into different components based on their boiling points, with diesel being a mid-range product that undergoes further processing to remove impurities. While petroleum-derived diesel, or petrodiesel, is the most common type, alternative sources such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), and renewable diesel made from vegetable oils and animal fats are gaining traction.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common term | distillate fuel oil |
| Use | motor vehicles with compression ignition engines |
| Inventor | German engineer Rudolf Diesel |
| Year of invention | 1892 |
| Sources | crude oil, biomass materials, vegetable seed oil |
| Refining process | distillation |
| Refining temperature | 200-350 degrees celsius |
| Diesel fuel production in the US | 1.75 billion barrels (73.46 billion gallons) in 2022 |
| Diesel fuel consumption in the US | 1.44 billion barrels (60.30 billion gallons) in 2022 |
| Diesel imports by the US | 0.07 billion barrels (2.80 billion gallons) in 2022 |
| Largest diesel importer to the US | Canada |
| US crude oil sources | Texas, North Dakota, Alaska |
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What You'll Learn
Diesel fuel is refined from crude oil
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel used in diesel engines, which are a type of internal combustion engine. Diesel fuel is refined from crude oil, a naturally occurring liquid that can be refined into various fuels and other petroleum-based products.
The process of refining crude oil into diesel fuel involves heating the viscous liquid to over 400 degrees Celsius, turning it into a vapour. This vapour then undergoes fractional distillation, where it is separated into different fractions based on boiling points. The longest hydrocarbon chains have boiling points above 400 degrees Celsius and emerge as asphalt or bitumen, while shorter chains liquefy as the vapour cools, becoming fuel oil and eventually diesel fuel.
The specific proportions of shorter hydrocarbon chain distillates can be recombined to create diesel fuel. This diesel fuel is then blended with the required additives and is ready for sale. The refining process can be adjusted to produce more diesel fuel by manipulating the "cut points," or boiling point ranges, during distillation.
In the United States, most diesel fuel is refined from crude oil at petroleum refineries, producing an average of 11 to 12 gallons of diesel fuel from each 42-gallon barrel of crude oil. However, alternative sources for diesel fuel are being developed, such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), and gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel, which are not derived from petroleum. These alternative sources contribute to the diversity of diesel fuel production and offer options beyond traditional crude oil refining.
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Crude oil is extracted from the ground
Diesel fuel is derived from crude oil, which is extracted from the ground. Crude oil is a natural fossil fuel source that is extracted through wells and offshore rigs. The process of extracting crude oil involves drilling deep into the Earth's surface, where oil reservoirs are located. These reservoirs are often found in sedimentary rocks, trapped between layers of porous and non-porous rock formations.
The history of diesel fuel is closely tied to the development of the diesel engine. In the late 19th century, Rudolf Diesel invented the first engine capable of using diesel fuel, and the fuel began to be seen as a valuable resource. However, it was not until the 1930s, with the introduction of motor-vehicle diesel engines, that higher-quality diesel fuel became necessary.
Crude oil extraction is a crucial step in the production of diesel fuel. In the United States, major sources of crude oil include Texas, North Dakota, and Alaska. Texas's Permian Basin is particularly prolific, producing millions of barrels of oil daily. Once the crude oil is extracted, it is sent to refineries, where it undergoes a refining process to produce diesel fuel.
The refining process involves distillation, where the crude oil is heated, and the vapors are collected and condensed into different types of fuel. This process separates the various components of crude oil based on their boiling points. Diesel fuel emerges when the vapor reaches temperatures between 200 and 350 degrees Celsius. It is then siphoned off into a holding tank, ready for distribution.
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Crude oil is distilled to make diesel
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel used in diesel engines, which are internal combustion engines that compress inlet air and then inject fuel. Diesel fuel is most commonly derived from petroleum, which is a distillate of petroleum fuel oil. Crude oil is distilled to make diesel through the following process:
First, crude oil is heated in a furnace until it vaporizes into a gas. This gas then enters an atmospheric distillation tower, where it is separated into different streams or fractions based on differences in boiling points. The heaviest streams, with the highest boiling points, are collected at the bottom of the tower in liquid form, while lighter streams like gasoline vapours and kerosene rise to the top in gaseous form. Diesel and medium-weight gas oil are withdrawn from the distillation tower at intermediate points in the column.
As the vapors rise in the distillation tower, they cool and begin to liquefy. When the vapors reach between 200 and 350 degrees Celsius, diesel fuel begins to emerge. The vapors are collected on distillation plates and siphoned into a diesel holding tank. The distillation process extracts shorter hydrocarbon chains as it rises in the tower, with the shortest chains emerging at the top as vaporous gas. Another method for creating diesel fuel is to recombine some of the shorter hydrocarbon chain distillates.
After distillation, the diesel fuel is ready to have required additives blended in, and then it is ready for sale. Diesel fuel can also be derived from biomass materials, such as vegetable seed oil, which contributed to the development of biodiesel. While petroleum-derived diesel is sometimes called petrodiesel, biodiesel and other alternative diesel fuels that are not derived from petroleum, such as biomass-to-liquid (BTL) and gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel, are becoming increasingly common.
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Diesel fuel is also made from biomass
Diesel fuel, also called diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel used in diesel engines, which are a type of internal combustion engine. The most common type of diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), or gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel, are becoming more common.
One type of biomass-based diesel fuel is biodiesel, also known as FAME biodiesel or FAME. It is produced by a process called transesterification, which converts organic fats and oils into fatty acid alkyl esters by reacting them with alcohols and catalysts. Methanol is typically used as the reactant in this process, creating fatty acid methyl esters. Biodiesel contains oxygen, which causes it to have about 7% less energy by volume than petroleum diesel. It also has a higher cloud point, or the temperature at which it begins to freeze and form crystals.
Another type of biomass-based diesel fuel is renewable diesel, which is chemically similar to petrodiesel but is created from recently lived biomass. Renewable diesel is produced through various thermochemical processes such as hydrotreating, gasification, and pyrolysis. It can be used in its pure form (called R100) or blended with petroleum diesel, with blends called R20 and R5 being common.
Biomass-based diesel fuels have played an important role in complying with U.S. Renewable Fuels (RFS) mandates. They also burn cleaner than petroleum diesel, do not gel in cold weather, and do not require additives to increase lubricity in ultra-low sulfur diesel. However, their higher oxygen content can limit their storage time due to oxidation that causes corrosion. Additionally, their chemical composition can make them more susceptible to microbial fouling, which may result in storage tank corrosion and fuel line clogging.
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Renewable diesel is made from vegetable oils and animal fats
Diesel fuel is a liquid fuel used in diesel engines, which are a type of internal combustion engine. Diesel fuel is most commonly derived from petroleum, which is a fossil fuel made from crude oil. However, there are alternative sources of diesel fuel that do not rely on fossil fuels, such as biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Renewable diesel is a sustainable alternative to petroleum diesel and biodiesel. Unlike petroleum diesel, which is derived from crude oil, renewable diesel is made from non-fossil fuel sources, such as vegetable oils and animal fats. These include soybean oil, recycled cooking oil, and waste animal fats from meat processing plants. In fact, Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, originally considered using vegetable seed oil as fuel for his engine.
The process of making renewable diesel is similar to the production of petroleum diesel. It involves hydrogenation, which is a heat- and pressure-based process. Renewable diesel is chemically similar to petroleum diesel but does not contain oxygen, which means it is less likely to freeze.
Renewable diesel offers several benefits, including being made from renewable sources, burning clean, and functioning similarly to traditional diesel. It can help fleets reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality without sacrificing power or performance. However, producing renewable diesel from hydrotreated renewable feedstocks requires a significant amount of hydrogen, which can affect its ability to meet national or state standards for biofuels.
Currently, renewable diesel is primarily sold in California due to the state's Low Carbon Fuel Standard. Companies like Neste, which has a plant in Singapore, supply renewable diesel to the West Coast, and can also supply the East Coast and Gulf Coast states from their European or Singapore plants.
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Frequently asked questions
Diesel fuel is a liquid fuel designed for use in a diesel engine, which is a type of internal combustion engine. It is derived from crude oil and biomass materials.
Diesel fuel is made through the distillation process. Crude oil is heated and the vapours are collected in another tank to condense into a new liquid. Diesel fuel begins to emerge when the vapour reaches between 200 and 350 degrees Celsius.
Diesel fuel is made in oil refineries. The first oil refinery was built in Scotland in 1851. The United States has some of the largest and most advanced refineries in the world.
Diesel fuel is made from crude oil and biomass materials. Crude oil is extracted from the ground through wells and offshore rigs.
Biodiesel is a type of diesel fuel that is not derived from petroleum. It is made from sustainable sources such as vegetable oils and animal fats.
