"Crude oil" redirects here. For the ***8 film, see Crude Oil
(film). For the fuel, see Petrol. For other uses, see
Petroleum
Petroleum, also known as crude oil and oil, is a naturally
occurring, yellowish-black liquid found in geological formations
beneath the Earth's surface. It is commonly refined into various
types of fuels. Components of petroleum are separated using a
technique called fractional distillation, i.e., separation of a
liquid mixture into fractions differing in boiling point by means
of distillation, typically using a fractionating column. It
consists of naturally occurring hydrocarbons of various molecular
weights and may contain miscellaneous organic compounds.[1] The
name petroleum covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude
oil and petroleum products that are made up of refined crude oil. A
fossil fuel, petroleum is formed when large quantities of dead
organisms, mostly zooplankton and algae, are buried underneath
sedimentary rock and subjected to both intense heat and pressure.
