Petroleum is an essential fossil fuel composed of a natural mixture of hydrocarbons, including crude oil, natural gas, and asphalt. Its form can range from gas to solid, influenced by the complexity of its carbon structure. This resource is crucial for energy production, industrial processes, and inspiring innovation, supporting a sustainable approach to powering the modern world.
Petroleum:
The word petroleum is derived from the Latin words ‘petra’, which means oil, and ‘oleum’, which means mix. In broad meaning petroleum is a mixture of natural gas, crude oil and solids as asphalt, wax etc and all of which are the compounds of carbon and hydrogen.
Physical Properties of Petroleum:
The physical properties of petroleum are controlled by the composition of constituent hydrocarbon compounds. The hydrocarbon compounds range from single carbon compounds to branched or chained carbon compounds.
As the number and complexity of carbon atoms and this bonding increased, the hydrocarbon changed from gaseous through liquid to plastic to solid petroleum.
Gaseous petroleum is termed natural gas, liquid petroleum is termed crude oil, plastic hydrocarbons are termed asphalt, and solid hydrocarbons are termed kerogen.
Chemical Classification of Petroleum:
Hydrocarbons:
The primary components of petroleum, composed only of carbon and hydrogen.
- Paraffins (Alkanes) – Saturated hydrocarbons with straight or branched chains; major fuel components.
- Naphthenes (Cycloalkanes) – Saturated ring-shaped hydrocarbons; contribute to gasoline quality.
- Aromatics – Unsaturated ring compounds like benzene; used in fuel and petrochemical industries.
Heterocompounds:
Organic compounds contain elements like sulfur (S), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O).
- Sulfur compounds cause pollution and refining challenges.
- Nitrogen compounds affect catalyst efficiency.
- Oxygen compounds impact petroleum stability.
Non-Hydrocarbons:
Inorganic substances in petroleum.
- Metals (e.g., vanadium, nickel) affect refining processes.
- Inorganic gases (e.g., CO₂, H₂S, N₂) impact processing efficiency.
