Synthetic crude is the output from a bitumen/extra heavy oil upgrader facility used in connection with

oil sand Oil sands, tar sands, crude bitumen, or bituminous sands, are a type of unconventional petroleum deposit. Oil sands are either loose sands or partially consolidated sandstone containing a naturally occurring mixture of sand, clay, and wat ...

production. It may also refer to

shale oil Shale oil is an unconventional oil produced from oil shale rock fragments by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. These processes convert the organic matter within the rock ( kerogen) into synthetic oil and gas. The resulting ...

, an output from an

oil shale Oil shale is an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock containing kerogen (a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds) from which liquid hydrocarbons can be produced. In addition to kerogen, general composition of oil shales constitut ...

pyrolysis The pyrolysis (or devolatilization) process is the thermal decomposition of materials at elevated temperatures, often in an inert atmosphere. It involves a change of chemical composition. The word is coined from the Greek-derived elements '' ...

. The properties of the synthetic crude depend on the processes used in the upgrading. Typically, it is low in sulfur and has an

API gravity The American Petroleum Institute gravity, or API gravity, is a measure of how heavy or light a petroleum liquid is compared to water: if its API gravity is greater than 10, it is lighter and floats on water; if less than 10, it is heavier and sink ...

of around 30. It is also known as "upgraded crude". Synthetic crude is an intermediate product produced when an extra-heavy or

unconventional oil Unconventional oil is petroleum produced or extracted using techniques other than the conventional method (oil well). Industry and governments across the globe are investing in unconventional oil sources due to the increasing scarcity of conventio ...

source is upgraded into a transportable form. Synthetic crude is then shipped to oil refineries where it is further upgraded into finished products. Synthetic crude may also be mixed, as a diluent, with heavy oil to create synbit. Synbit is more viscous than synthetic crude, but can also be a less expensive alternative for transporting heavy oil to a conventional refinery≠. Syncrude Canada, Suncor Energy Inc., and Canadian Natural Resources Limited are the three largest worldwide producers of synthetic crude with a cumulative production of approximately . The NewGrade Energy Upgrader became operational in 1988, and was the first upgrader in Canada, now part of the

CCRL Refinery Complex The Co-op Refinery Complex (CRC), formerly known as Consumers’ Co-operative Refineries Limited (CCRL), is an oil refinery spread over located in the city of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, owned and operated '' ource needed' by Consumers Co-opera ...

References

External links

Scotford Upgrader (Shell Canada website)

Scientists find bugs that eat waste and excrete petrol - Times Online
{{petroleum-stub Synthetic fuels Bituminous sands Petroleum industry in Canada

See also

References

External links