Oil & fuels
Still the world's largest energy source and the backbone of transport. Oil is refined into fuels and products, but it faces decarbonization, electrification and a forecast demand peak — driving low-carbon fuels for hard-to-electrify uses.
The main families
Distillation, cracking, reforming
Crude is separated then converted: atmospheric and vacuum distillation, catalytic cracking (FCC), reforming, hydrotreating to adjust cuts and desulfurize. High process-risk Seveso sites.
Gasoline, diesel, jet, LPG
Gasoline (EN 228), diesel (EN 590), jet fuel, heating oil, LPG, bitumen and petrochemical feedstocks. Specifications (sulfur, indices) govern quality and compliance.
Biofuels, e-fuels, SAF
Low-carbon fuels for hard-to-electrify uses: HVO, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), synthetic e-fuels. Conversion of refineries into biorefineries and hydrogen hubs.
Key challenges
- Major process safety — refineries are Seveso sites: safety instrumented systems (IEC 61511), ATEX zoning, fire/gas detection — Texas City 2005 remains the reference.
- Quality & specifications — sulfur content, octane and cetane indices, fuel standards (EN 228, EN 590): product compliance governs market access.
- Refining decarbonization — process electrification, green hydrogen for hydrotreating, CO₂ capture: cutting scope 1-2 emissions of a very intensive sector.
- Energy transition — forecast oil demand peak, conversion of refineries into biorefineries and hydrogen hubs: anticipating structural decline.
- Low-carbon fuels — SAF for aviation, HVO and e-fuels: expensive but essential for hard-to-electrify sectors (aviation, maritime, heavy).
See also
Oil-specific standards
- EN 228 / EN 590 — Gasoline and diesel fuel specifications (composition, sulfur, indices).
- API 650 / 510 / 570 — Storage tanks, pressure equipment and piping: design and inspection.
- IEC 61511 — Safety instrumented systems (SIS) for refining units.
- ISO 29001 — Quality management specific to the oil, gas and petrochemical sector.
Related standard pages on IndustryHub
Major players
Majors
Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, Chevron.
Refining & technology
Honeywell UOP, Axens, Topsoe, McDermott (procédés, catalyseurs).
Low-carbon fuels
Neste (HVO/SAF), World Energy, TotalEnergies, Eni.
Services & equipment
SLB, Baker Hughes, Halliburton, Emerson, Honeywell.
Landmark facts
| Fact | Year | Location | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas City refinery explosion | 2005 | Texas, USA (BP) | Overfilling of a column caused an explosion; 15 deaths. The Baker report made process safety (distinct from occupational safety) and safety culture a priority — a pillar of IEC 61511. |
| Oil demand peak | ~2030 | IEA projection | The International Energy Agency projects a plateau then decline in global oil demand toward the late 2020s, driven by transport electrification — a structural turning point for refining. |
| SAF mandates (ReFuelEU) | 2025 | European Union | The ReFuelEU Aviation regulation mandates a rising share of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from 2025, creating a guaranteed market for low-carbon fuels where electrification is impossible. |