Cracking uses high heat, pressure, and often catalysts to break the carbon-carbon bonds of heavy petroleum fractions. This thermal decomposition converts heavy, low-value crude oil derivatives into lighter, high-demand products like gasoline, diesel, and olefins. Refineries rely on fluid catalytic cracking and hydrocracking to maximize the yield of transportation fuels from every barrel.
Heard on the job
The fluid catalytic cracking unit is down for maintenance, so our gasoline output will drop this week.
Also heard as
- catalytic cracking
- hydrocracking