The uses of Crude Oil

Crude oil contains a mixture of molecules called hydrocarbons, all with different lengths and boiling points. The long molecules have strong attractive forces between them so they are harder to boil.

In fractional distillation, molecules of similar lengths and boiling points are separated off together. These fractions include gas, petrol, naphtha, kerosene (jet fuel), diesel, oil and tar. Naphtha is used to make new chemicals in a process called chemical synthesis.