 |
| Relative supply and demand
for fuel oil and gasoline fractions of North Sea Oil |
|
| There is a mismatch between supply and demand
for the different fractions of crude oil. |
| Cracking
helps to solve the problem by breaking down large molecules in the
fuel oil fraction to smaller alkanes useful in petrol. Cracking
was first done by heat alone, and then since the 1940's over a silica/alumina
catalyst in a fluidised bed reactor, called a cat
cracker. |
| Meeting the demand
for petrol is a massive undertaking, requiring the output from hugh
catalytic cracking
plants. |
| Regenerator
being pulled onto a Shell refinery.
|
|
