Crude oil is produced over millions of years by the breakdown of plant and animal remains at high temperature and pressure below the sea. It is composed of a mixture of different hydrocarbons, some with branching chains, some without. The components can be separated by fractional distillation because each compound has a different boiling point. With thanks to doc. Brown for pictures

forms a thick, black, tough and resistant adhesive on cooling, used as waterproofing material and to sticks rock chips on roofs or road surfaces over 350 o C over 70 Bitumen not so easily evaporated, not as flammable, safe to store for central heating oil, quite viscous (sticky) and can also be used for lubricating oils, clear waxes and polishes 250 to 350 o C 20 to 70 Fuel and lubricat ing Oils and Waxes car and larger vehicle fuel 220 to 250 o C 15 to 25 Diesel oil, Gas oil less flammable than petrol, domestic heater fuel, jet fuel 120 to 240 o C 10 to 16 Paraffin, Kerosene no good as a fuel, but valuable source of organic molecules to make other things, cracked to make more petrol and alkenes 60 to 180 o C 7 to 13Naphtha easily vaporised, highly flammable, easily ignited, car fuel 20 to 60 o C 5 to 11 Gasoline, Petrol gas fuel, C 3-4 easily liquefied, portable energy source bottled gas for cooking (butane), higher pressure cylinders (propane) -160 to 20 o C 1 to 4 Fuel Gas, LPG, Refinery Gas USES of the fraction - depends on its properties boiling range in o C C atoms in the molecule names of fractions THE FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION OF CRUDE OIL

gas fuel, C 3-4 easily liquefied, portable energy source bottled gas for cooking (butane), higher pressure cylinders (propane) -160 to 20 o C 1 to 4 Carbon Atoms Fuel Gas, LPG, Refinery Gas

easily vaporised, highly flammable, easily ignited, car fuel 20 to 60 o C 5 to 11 Gasoline, Petrol

no good as a fuel, but valuable source of organic molecules to make other things, cracked to make more petrol and alkenes 60 to 180 o C 7 to 13 Naphtha

less flammable than petrol, domestic heater fuel, jet fuel 120 to 240 o C 10 to 16 Paraffin, Kerosene

car and larger vehicle fuel 220 to 250 o C 15 to 25 Diesel oil, Gas oil

not so easily evaporated, not as flammable, safe to store for central heating oil, quite viscous (sticky) and can also be used for lubricating oils, clear waxes and polishes 250 to 350 o C 20 to 70 Fuel and lubricating Oils and Waxes

forms a thick, black, tough and resistant adhesive on cooling, used as waterproofing material and to sticks rock chips on roofs or road surfaces over 350 o C over 70 Bitumen