Question

“Petroleum is an essential source of energу and many by-products are associated with its refining.” Explain this statement with examples.

Answer 1

1. Petroleum is a vital source of energy as it powers internal combustion engines used in automobiles, railways, and aircraft. Crude petroleum, obtained from oil fields, is a mixture of hydrocarbons found in both liquid and gaseous states, with differences in chemical composition, colour, and density. Apart from being used as a fuel, petroleum is highly important because it produces many valuable by-products through the process of refining.
2. Crude oil cannot be used directly after extraction due to the presence of impurities. Therefore, it must be refined to remove these impurities and convert it into useful products. The refined products are used for a wide variety of industrial, commercial, and household purposes. For example, petroleum refining provides fertilizers essential for agriculture, synthetic rubber and fibres used in manufacturing, medicines required for healthcare, vaseline used in skincare, lubricants for machines, as well as wax and soap.
3. Once extracted, crude oil still needs to undergo refining to eliminate impurities. In India, there are two types of refineries: field-based refineries, such as the Digboi refinery located near the oil source, and market-based refineries, such as Barauni, which are strategically situated close to consumer markets.