• What is the specific gravity of crude oil in API?
  • The specific gravity of 30.7oAPI crude oil is 0.8724. Method in Chapter 12.3 of API measurement manual: Blend 95,000 bbl of this crude oil with 5,000 bbl of 86.5oAPI natural gasoline.
  • Why do refineries produce more than crude oil?
  • The total volume of products that refineries produce (output) is greater than the volume of crude oil that refineries process (input) because most of the products they make have a lower density than the crude oil they process. This increase in volume is called processing gain. The average processing gain at U.S. refineries was about 6.3% in 2023.
  • How many crude oil refineries are there?
  • Specifications exist for over 2,000 individual refinery products. It took a full century to develop markets for all fractions of crude oil. Intermediate feedstocks can be routed to various units to produce different blend stocks, which is highly dependent on economics specific to that refinery & contractual limitations. There are 33 refineries in total (as per the given reference).
  • What is the yield of distillation cuts from crude oil?
  • The yield of different distillation cuts from crude oils vary with the specific gravity of the oil. Light crudes have a high content of light and heavy naphtha and relatively low content of vacuum gas oil and residue, compared to heavier crudes.
  • What oils and liquids are used in refineries & blending facilities?
  • In addition to crude oil, refineries and blending facilities add other oils and liquids during processing to produce the finished products that are sold to consumers. These other oils and liquids include: Gasoline accounts for the largest share of total petroleum products produced each year in U.S. petroleum refineries.