INTO USEFUL PRODUCTS

The refining of crude petroleum owes its origin to the successful drilling of the first oil well in Titusville, Pa., in 1859. Prior to that time, petroleum was available only in very small quantities from natural seepage of subsurface oil in various areas throughout the world. However, such limited availability restricted the uses for petroleum to medicinal and special purposes. With the discovery of “rock oil” in north-western Pennsylvania, crude oil became available in sufficient quantity to inspire the development of larger-scale processing systems.

The earliest refineries employed simple distillation units, or “stills,” to separate the various constituents of petroleum by heating the crude oil mixture in a vessel and condensing the resultant vapours into liquid fractions. Initially the primary product was kerosene, which proved to be a more abundant, cleaner-burning lamp oil of more consistent quality than whale oil or animal fat.

The lowest-boiling raw product from the still was “straight run” naphtha, a forerunner of unfinished gasoline. Its initial commercial application was primarily as a solvent. Higher-boiling materials were found to be effective as lubricants and fuel oils, but they were largely novelties at first.

The perfection of oil-drilling techniques quickly spread to Russia, and by 1890 refineries there were producing large quantities of kerosene and fuel oils. The development of the internal-combustion engine in the later years of the 19th century created a small market for crude naphtha. But the development of the automobile at the turn of the century sharply increased the demand for quality gasoline, and this finally provided a home for the petroleum fractions that were too volatile to be included in kerosene. As demand for automotive fuel rose, methods for continuous distillation of crude oil were developed.

 

Exercise 2. Fill in the gaps with the following words.

 

stills kerosene rock oil seepage solvent drilling naphtha

1. The refining of crude petroleum owes its origin to the … of the first oil well in 1859.

2. Prior to that time, petroleum was available from natural … of subsurface oil in various areas throughout the world.

3. Crude oil became available in sufficient quantity with the discovery of ….

4. The earliest refineries employed simple … to separate the various constituents of petroleum.

5. Initially the primary product of petroleum was ….

6. … was a forerunner of unfinished gasoline.

7. The initial commercial application of naphtha was primarily as a ….

 

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences.

1. The refining of crude petroleum owes its origin to _________.

2. Prior to that time petroleum was available only _______.

3. Limited availability restricted the uses of petroleum to ________.

4. The earliest refineries employed _________.

5. Constituents of petroleum were separated by _____________.

6. The lowest-boiling raw product from the still was __________.

7. The development of the internal-combustion engine created _______.

8. The development of the automobile increased ___________.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the following questions.

1. When did the refining of crude petroleum begin? What promoted it?

2. How was petroleum got prior to that time?

3. What were the main uses of limited amount of petroleum?

4. What did the earliest refineries employ simple distillation units for?

5. What was the primary product of petroleum?

6. What was the lowest-boiling raw product from the still?

7. What was the initial commercial application of naphtha?

8. What created a small market for crude naphtha?

9. What increased the demand for quality gasoline?

 

Exercise 5. Put all types of questions to the following sentences.

1. The earliest refineries employed simple distillation to separate the various constituents of petroleum.

2. Naphtha was primarily applied as a solvent.

3. Methods for continuous distillation of crude oil were developed.

 

Exercise 6. Read and translate the text.