Today's main energy source, oil is a fossil fuel. Its formation occurs through the decomposition of organic matter (remains of animals and vegetables), which remained for millions of years subjected to high temperatures, earth pressure, low oxygenation, among other factors, thus forming the deposits of Petroleum.
After extraction, crude oil goes through different stages of transformation in refineries, which are large processing industries. This process aims to carry out the separation of the different types of hydrocarbons present in oil, providing the production of its derivatives.
The first phase of a refinery is the fractionation columns, where heating takes place in high places. horizontally divided steel towers, whose temperature reduces as it moves towards the apex of the tower. Then, evaporation occurs and, subsequently, the product goes through several levels of condensation (transition from the gaseous state to the liquid state). At each of these levels of condensation, it is possible to obtain a petroleum derivative.
Therefore, refineries are structured to process oil and obtain a wide variety of derivatives. Among the main products are gasoline, diesel oil, liquefied gas, kerosene for jet aircraft, kerosene for lighting, solvents, lubricants, petroleum coke, residues and paraffins.
Most refineries are located close to the main oil-producing points, the most industrialized cities and the most populous centers. This is a strategy to reduce costs with displacement from producer to consumer. In Brazil, for example, there is a large concentration of refineries in the Southeast region, as this is the most industrialized, populous and with the states that produce the most oil (Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo) in the parents.
By Wagner de Cerqueira and Francisco
Graduated in Geography
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/refinarias-petroleo.htm