| Key Terms |
Definition |
| Barrel |
A unit of volume equal to 42 U.S. gallons.
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| Catalyst Coke |
In many catalytic operations (e.g., catalytic cracking) carbon is deposited on the catalyst,
thus deactivating the catalyst. The catalyst is reactivated by burning off the carbon,
which is used as a fuel in the refining process. This carbon or coke is not recoverable in a
concentrated form.
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| Coal |
A readily combustible black or brownish-black rock whose composition, including
inherent moisture, consists of more than 50 percent by weight and more than 70
percent by volume of carbonaceous material. It is formed from plant remains that
have been compacted, hardened, chemically altered, and metamorphosed by heat and
pressure over geologic time.
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| Crude Oil |
A mixture of hydrocarbons that exists in liquid phase in natural underground
reservoirs and remains liquid at atmospheric pressure after passing through
surface separating facilities. Depending upon the characteristics of the crude
stream, it may also include:
Small amounts of hydrocarbons that exist in gaseous phase in natural
underground reservoirs but are liquid at atmospheric pressure after being
recovered from oil well (casinghead) gas in lease separators and are subsequently
commingled with the crude stream without being separately measured. Lease
condensate recovered as a liquid from natural gas wells in lease or field
separation facilities and later mixed into the crude stream is also included;
Small amounts of nonhydrocarbons produced with the oil, such as sulfur and
various metals;
Drip gases, and liquid hydrocarbons produced from tar sands, oil sands,
gilsonite, and oil shale.
Liquids produced at natural gas processing plants are excluded. Crude oil is refined to produce
a wide array of petroleum products, including heating oils; gasoline, diesel and jet fuels;
lubricants; asphalt; ethane, propane, and butane; and many other products used for their
energy or chemical content.
|
| Distillate Fuel Oil |
A general classification for one of the petroleum fractions produced in conventional distillation
operations. It includes diesel fuels and fuel oils. Products known as No. 1, No. 2, and
No. 4 diesel fuel are used in on-highway diesel engines, such as those in trucks and automobiles,
as well as off-highway engines, such as those in railroad locomotives and agricultural machinery.
Products known as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 fuel oils are used primarily for space heating and
electric power generation.
|
| Electricity (Purchased) |
Electricity purchased for refinery operations that is not produced within the
refinery complex.
|
| Liquefied Petroleum Gases (LPG) |
A group of hydrocarbon-based gases derived from crude oil refining or nautral gas fractionation. For convenience of transportation, these gases are liquefied through pressurization. Historical EIA published LPG series includes: ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, normal butane, butylene, isobutane, and isobutylene. This may not be consistent with other definitions of LPG which only include propane, normal butane, and isobutane.
|
| Marketable Coke |
Those grades of coke produced in delayed or fluid cokers which may be recovered as relatively
pure carbon. This "green" coke may be sold as is or further purified by calcining.
|
| Natural Gas |
A gaseous mixture of hydrocarbon compounds, the primary one being methane. |
| Other Petroleum Products |
Includes other hydrocarbons, hydrogen, unfinished oils,
gasoline, special naphthas, jet fuel, lubricants, asphalt and road oil, and
miscellaneous products.
|
| Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) Districts |
Geographic aggregations of the 50 States and the District of Columbia into five districts
by the Petroleum Administration for Defense in 1950. These districts were originally defined
during World War II for purposes of administering oil allocation.
Description and maps of PAD Districts and Refining Districts.
|
| Petroleum Coke |
A residue high in carbon content and low in hydrogen that is the final product of
thermal decomposition in the condensation process in cracking. This product is reported
as marketable coke or catalyst coke. The conversion is 5 barrels
(of 42 U.S. gallons each) per short ton. Coke from petroleum has a heating value of
6.024 million Btu per barrel.
|
| Refinery |
An installation that manufactures finished petroleum products from crude oil, unfinished oils,
natural gas liquids, other hydrocarbons, and oxygenates.
|
| Residual Fuel Oil |
A general classification for the heavier oils, known as No. 5 and No. 6 fuel oils, that remain
after the distillate fuel oils and lighter hydrocarbons are distilled away in refinery
operations. It conforms to ASTM Specifications D 396 and D 975 and Federal Specification
VV-F-815C. No. 5, a residual fuel oil of medium viscosity, is also known as Navy Special
and is defined in Military Specification MIL-F-859E, including Amendment 2 (NATO Symbol F-770).
It is used in steam-powered vessels in government service and inshore powerplants.
No. 6 fuel oil includes Bunker C fuel oil and is used for the production of electric power,
space heating, vessel bunkering, and various industrial purposes.
|
| Steam (Purchased) |
Steam, purchased for use by a refinery, that was not generated from within the
refinery complex.
|
| Still Gas |
Any form or mixture of gases produced in refineries by distillation, cracking, reforming,
and other processes. The principal constituents are methane, ethane, ethylene, normal butane,
butylene, propane, propylene, etc. Still gas is used as a refinery fuel and a petrochemical
feedstock. The conversion factor is 6 million BTU's per fuel oil equivalent barrel.
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Definitions