An intermediate liquid product obtained during the fractional distillation of petroleum, boiling between gasoline and kerosene. Refineries use it primarily as a feedstock for catalytic reforming to produce high-octane gasoline components or as a raw material for the petrochemical industry to crack into olefins like ethylene.
Heard on the job
Send the light naphtha straight to the isomerization unit to boost the octane rating.
Related terms
Cracking
A refining process that breaks large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, more valuable ones.
Distillation
The primary refinery process that separates crude oil into different hydrocarbon groups by boiling point.
Cut
A specific fraction of hydrocarbons separated during the distillation of crude oil.