Petroleum Processing and Refineries

Crude oil wells usually co-produce natural gas, but natural gas often is found without associated oil. Natural gas is processed by natural gas processingGas processing plants, while crude oil is sent to oil refineries for transformation into a variety of valuable products. The processes developed in refineries are driven by market demands, from lighting to transportation to a huge variety of petrochemicals. Refineries can be categorized as Topping (Simple), Hydroskimming, Conversion and Integrated. Nelson Complexity Index was developed to quantify the relative costs and economic benefits of the units that constitute a refinery.