Oil refining emissions. Our dependence on oil comes at an environmental cost.

Oil refining emissions. A global inventory of oil refineries reveals an expansion of high emission new facilities in Asia and the Middle East. While recent literature has focused on the production of hydrogen from water electrolysis, (waste) biomass gasification is another effective method for low-emission hydrogen production, and the refining industry is well positioned for its rapid adoption. May 3, 2023 · In this report, we look at the changes and measures needed to reduce the emissions intensity of oil and gas operations in the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 (NZE) Scenario. 1 gigatons (Gt) in the period 2000–2021 with an average annual increasing rate of 0. 9 of global emissions from refineries, compared with 79. The various methods employed to transform crude oil into valuable products result in the emission of over 800 toxic chemicals, including gases such as carbon monoxide Mar 14, 2024 · This article discusses ways to immediately reduce emissions in refineries, and it suggests ways to strategically use refineries to drive significantly larger emission reductions across multiple sectors. Key process units for GHG emissions from global refineries were identified. The oil refining industry contributes to 4% of global emissions, and an audit of its status is overdue. The dynamics of contributors in this sector such as crucial countries, leading enterprises, and key emission processes are vital to identifying key GHG emitters and supporting targeted emission reduction The primary sources of CO2 emissions for a medium to high complexity oil refinery are the power, steam, hydrogen production; fluid catalytic cracking (FCC); heaters; and compressor units that form part of the overall refinery process. Jun 1, 2025 · This review article examines the challenges and effects emanating from the release of greenhouse gases from crude oil refining operations. 3 Gigatons (Gt) in 2018 and could be as large as 16. The researchers Today, oil and gas operations account for around 15% of total energy-related emissions globally, the equivalent of 5. Jan 30, 2023 · Key contributors to GHG emissions in the global oil refining industry were illustrated. PRELIM estimates energy use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with processing Nov 17, 2023 · This article considers and explores the strategies and technologies that can reduce CO 2 emissions in refining processes; where in the current context of climate change, greenhouse gases (GHG) associated with this sector have increased due to the increase in energy consumption worldwide. What are oil refinery emissions? The oil industry is one of the most regulated sectors worldwide, and its atmospheric Jun 2, 2020 · Analysis of global oil refining in 2015 shows refining carbon intensity at crude, refinery and country levels and highlights potential for emissions reductions. Oct 1, 2024 · Oil refineries emit almost 5% of global GHG emissions Decarbonization has become a global priority for all industries in an effort to stop climate change. Jul 10, 2025 · Oil refining emissions are estimated with the Petroleum Refinery Life-Cycle Inventory Model (PRELIM). The refining of crude oil into products like diesel, petrol, and asphalt results in the emission of various pollutants, including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The oil and gas industry is the largest industrial source of methane emissions in the United States. This study conducts a techno-economic Oct 15, 2024 · The refinery sector consists of facilities that produce gasoline, gasoline blending stocks, naphtha, kerosene, distillate fuel oils, residual fuel oils, lubricants, or asphalt (bitumen) by the distillation of petroleum or the re-distillation, cracking, or reforming of unfinished petroleum derivatives. Apr 26, 2024 · In 2022, the world’s oil refinery capacity almost reached 102 million barrels per day. Introduction Petroleum refining is a downstream industry that focuses on transforming crude oil into higher-value products. Mar 22, 2025 · Oil refineries are a major source of pollution, and companies need to invest in plans to reduce emissions to protect the environment and public health. With the growing global demand for petroleum products, reducing air pollutants from oil refineries is a pressing Aug 31, 2018 · Producing, transporting, and refining crude oil into fuels such as gasoline and diesel accounts for ∼15 to 40% of the “well-to-wheels” life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of transport fuels (1). 7%, dominated by the United States, EU27&UK, and China. Dec 16, 2024 · Oil refineries are a major source of air pollution, releasing toxic metals, particulates, and gases that contribute to ozone pollution and climate change. Overall, global refinery capacity has nearly doubled in the past fifty years, experiencing the largest growth during the 1970s. Jun 22, 2025 · Oil refineries are essential for producing the raw materials needed for a wide range of industrial processes. Here’s what industry participants can do to prepare for a low-carbon future. Sources of Air Pollution from the Petroleum Industry There are various sources of emissions in the petroleum refining and petrochemical industries, and the following are the major categories of emission sources [11]. These emissions can have detrimental effects on human Jan 6, 2025 · The refining industry is a major hydrogen consumer, mainly relying on fossil fuel-derived hydrogen. Emissions from industrial Sep 14, 2023 · Developing a credible, actionable plan to decarbonize an oil refinery is a complex undertaking. The refining industry is the third-largest source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from stationary sources, so it is at the forefront of the energy transition and net zero pathways. Using the refinery-level marginal approach, the changes in energy use and emissions of co-processing cases compared to the petroleum-only baseline case are allocated to the changes in fuel production (assuming renewable fuels). We have modeled the carbon intensity of crude oil from over 3,000 oilfields located in countries that supplied oil to Europe In 2009. In-depth discussions and salient points, shedding light for prospective researchers on the critical areas that should be investigated and improved on to attain net-zero emissions in refinery, were Nov 21, 2024 · Annual CO₂ emissions from oil, 2023 Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from oil, measured in tonnes. The consequences of climate change are dire, include harming the environment, human health and the global economy. Understanding the impact of traditional oil production and the potential of used oil re-refining is crucial in the fight against climate change. The researchers, l Jun 2, 2020 · In June 2020, Deborah Gordon co-wrote, "Carbon intensity of global crude oil refining and mitigation potential," a study focused on assessing the lifecycle climate impacts of the oil and gas sector and reducing emissions in line with international climate targets. ExTRACTIon-To-REfInIng gREEnhousE gAs EmIssIons Europe receives crude oil from a large number of oilfields all over the world. Mar 21, 2025 · The petroleum and natural gas (“oil and gas”) industry includes a wide range of operations and equipment, including wells, natural gas gathering lines and processing facilities, storage tanks, and transmission and distribution pipelines. Mar 23, 2025 · Oil refineries are industrial plants that employ chemical processes to transform crude oil into valuable products. In 2021, an international team published a thorough review called the Carbon Emission Accounts and Datasets-Global Refinery Emission Inventory (CEADs-GREI). However, due to the nature of these processes, refineries also produce significant amounts of CO 2 emissions. Dec 29, 2017 · FracTracker has compiled an inventory of all 536 global oil refineries, plus estimates of daily capacity, carbon dioxide emissions/year, and their products. While these products are useful, the refining processes are a significant contributor to air pollution, releasing harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, methane, and sulphur dioxide. This short paper analyzes strategic measures for the abatement of CO 2 emissions from oil refinery operations. Jul 10, 2025 · Greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas refining were highest in the United States and China in 2023. How does Carbon Clean technology work for oil refinery emissions? Using our technology, you can capture up to 90%+ of carbon dioxide emitted from a refinery. Sep 16, 2021 · The oil and gas sector is responsible for a large share of human-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: Climate TRACE data shows that more than 11 percent of emissions come from the production and refining of oil and gas. These emissions savings will be predominately achieved by the eight industrial sectors that currently emit approximately two thirds of industrial carbon emissions: cement, ceramics, chemicals, food & drink, glass, iron & steel, oil refining, and pulp & paper. 1 General Description The petroleum refining industry converts crude oil into more than 2500 refined products, including liquefied petroleum gas, gasoline, kerosene, aviation fuel, diesel fuel, fuel oils, lubricating oils, and feedstocks for the petrochemical industry. Overall, the entire complex includes an area of more than 7,500 acres and has a crude processing capacity of 1. . Petroleum refining and petrochemical complexes are significant sources of air pollution, emitting a variety of harmful pollutants with substantial health risks for nearby populations. Nov 15, 2021 · Introduction Oil refineries are industrial complexes that upgrade crude oil to fuels and chemical products that are of high monetary value. These emissions negatively impact air quality and human health, with communities near refineries May 8, 2024 · From petrol to plastics, oil-derived products define modern life. May 8, 2024 · Although refineries of today convert mostly crude oil, we predict a gradual change to the refinery input stream so that only CO 2 and agricultural and municipal waste (which includes biomass and Feb 8, 2025 · The petroleum refining industry produces carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), which are the primary greenhouse gases emitted by the petroleum refining industry. Our dependence on oil comes at an environmental cost. May 5, 2025 · Air pollution from oil refineries is a significant issue that affects nearby communities, workers, and the environment. In 2021, the top 20 countries with the largest GHG emissions of oil refining accounted for 83. These emissions have severe environmental and health impacts, affecting the air we breathe and the ecosystems we depend on. Feb 11, 2022 · Rapid industrialization and urbanization have increased the demand for both energy and mobility services across the globe, with accompanying increases in greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing emissions from petroleum production is of particular importance, as current transport fleets are almost entirely dependent on liquid petroleum products, and many uses of petroleum Jul 7, 2025 · GHG emissions Greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas refining worldwide from 2015 to 2023 (in billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) In addition to emissions from petroleum refining processes, this sector includes combustion emissions from stationary combustion units, except for electricity generating units (Subpart D), the emissions of which are included in the Power Plant Sector. And that portion is before the refined products fan out across the global economy and generate massive, additional climate footprints from the combustion of those fossil fuels Oct 29, 2023 · Deep inside Essar’s sprawling oil refinery on the banks of the river Mersey, a £200mn machine smashes the molecules in crude oil to help produce millions of litres of diesel, petrol and jet According to the Reference Document on Best Available Techniques for mineral oil refineries (BREF refineries, 2003), CO2 emissions from power plants in refineries account for about 42% of the CO2 emitted by a refinery. In the International Energy Agency’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, the emissions intensity of these activities falls by 50% by the end of the decade. Taking immediate action to cut emissions from oil refineries and petrochemical plants holds the potential for major climate wins in this decisive decade, with a 1 percent reduction equivalent to taking three million gasoline-powered cars off the road. 1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Feb 23, 2021 · This makes CCUS for refineries more practical than it would be in downstream applications, such as individual homes, vehicles, and businesses. While all industries emit CO 2, a major contributor to climate change, the oil and gas (O&G) sector has been singled out as an Aug 30, 2018 · Stanford researchers’ comprehensive new assessment of climate emissions from crude oil production suggests avoiding the most carbon-intensive reservoirs and better management of natural gas Jul 20, 2020 · We provide a critical analysis on the total averages of VOCs and key pieces of evidence which highlights the necessity of implementing control measures to regulate crude oil volatile emissions (CVEs) in primary steps of extraction-to-refinery pathways of crude oil processing. Sep 21, 2022 · In an upcoming Oil Refining Emissions Cut Points report, RMI’s Oil and Gas Solutions Initiative team will build upon insights from Emissions Out the Gate to provide guidance on reducing the climate impact of the industry’s supply chain by optimizing product outputs and incorporating low-carbon feedstocks and energy inputs. Background Refineries are significant contributors to It is in this context that Concawe asked three independent Consultants, Gudde Associates, Jean Francois Larive and Chris Beddoes, to work together to produce a report to establish the current status of EU refineries in terms of energy and CO2 emissions intensity; and to explore the future of EU refining towards 2030 and 2050, and to describe plausible CO2 intensity reduction pathways. Jan 30, 2023 · The refining industry is the third-largest source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from stationary sources, so it is at the forefront of the energy transition and net zero pathways. These include tackling methane emissions, eliminating all non-emergency flaring, electrifying upstream facilities with low-emissions electricity, equipping oil and gas processes with carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies, and expanding the use of hydrogen from low-emissions electrolysis in refineries. By implementing responsible and effective emissions monitoring practices, this percentage can be reduced. Nov 6, 2024 · The refining industry ranks as the third largest contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from stationary sources, placing it at the centre of the energy transition and net zero efforts. Petroleum refinery activities start with receipt of crude for storage at the refinery, include all petroleum handling and In addition, certain Non-Annex I countries,2 such as China and Saudi Arabia, are crucial crude oil refining and consuming countries but have less standardized emission reporting than Annex I countries (Heede 2014). Based on the results, the researchers Apr 28, 2025 · Oil refineries are a major source of air pollution, emitting hazardous and toxic pollutants that pose a significant threat to the environment and human health. While much of the information regarding this issue and the potential health impacts of this pollution has been documented, it remains fragmented across studies focusing on specific regions or health outcomes Apr 30, 2025 · Oil refineries process crude oil into fuels and essential products that power transportation, industry, and daily life. The dynamics of contributors in Nov 11, 2022 · The next ten years will determine the winners and losers in the refining business. 5 in 2000. 1. The level of carbon emissions from a refinery is closely tied to factors such as operational complexity, types of feedstocks, fuels, and power sourcing. Emissions from hydrogen production plants located at refineries are included in the Non-Fluorinated Chemicals Sector. 4 million barrels per day — more than double that of Marathon’s Galveston Bay refinery in Texas, the largest in North America (631,000 barrels Mar 6, 2025 · - Refinery wastewater emissions tool spreadsheet - March 2011 (xlsx) - (XLSX 207K) - Petroleum Refinery Source Characterization and Emission Model for Residual Risk Assessment (pdf) (114 pp, 523 KB). This article explores how re-refining used oil can significantly reduce carbon emissions. , 2018). Article Summary The Refinery Decarbonisation Study aims to achieve this objective by 2050, addressing Scope 1 and 2 emissions and some aspects of Scope 3. On average, refinery emissions range between 200 to Jun 2, 2020 · We used bottom-up engineering-based refinery modelling on crude oils representing 93% of 2015 global refining throughput. Globally, cumulative GHG emissions from refineries reached approximately 34. A case Aug 20, 2021 · Our research investigates the current emission patterns of global oil refineries and their emission reduction potential by developing a time-series, technical-specific inventory of global refineries' CO2 emissions (Carbon Emission Accounts and Datasets-Global Refinery Emission Inventory) from 2000 to 2018. However, the refining processes used by these refineries are one of the most significant contributors to air pollution. On the basis of projected oil consumption under 2 °C scenarios, the industry could save 56–79 GtCO 2 e to 2100 by targeting primary emission sources. These pollutants, including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide, are released during the refining process, causing a range of adverse health effects such as respiratory issues, eye and throat Global oil refining’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions from 2000 to 2021. Feb 21, 2024 · While refining certainly does emit greenhouse gases, which can be reduced, the reality is that most emissions do not come from oil refining, but from the combustion of those fuels in power generation and transportation. While crude oil refining techniques are always improving, the growing global demand for petroleum products makes complying with environmental legislation challenging. 3 As a result, there is a lack of time-series data for scope 3 emissions from the oil industry, and the understanding of the GHG The oil and gas industry contributes around 15% of total energy-related emissions globally, which is equivalent to 5. Jun 5, 2023 · Exhibit 1: Top 15 Oil Refining States with Refining Emissions as proportion of statewide Business-As-Usual Emissions in 2030, as calculated in the state Energy Policy Simulator Washington’s oil refineries emitted approximately 6 million tons of greenhouse gases in 2021 and emissions are expected to remain fairly constant over time; unless measures are implemented to reduce emissions, oil Aug 20, 2021 · A global inventory has revealed that CO2 emissions from oil refineries were 1. This case study provides a comprehensive analysis of the two-phase approach taken to develop this roadmap, highlighting the methodologies, key projects, timelines, and expected benefits. From the nature of the refining process, it contributes to the increasing amount of CO2 emissions. 5 Gt from 2020 to 2030. A bold plan to change that comes with huge costs — but researchers and policymakers should take it seriously. Figure 1 is a scatterplot that shows the variation among individual oil fields in extraction-to-refining emissions against the Jan 30, 2023 · Key contributors to GHG emissions in the global oil refining industry were illustrated. Methane is a potent GHG with a global warming Jun 29, 2017 · 2. 1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, making it a significant contributor to climate change and environmental pollution. GHG process emissions from this sector include emissions from venting, flares, and fugitive Oct 9, 2024 · The RPL Jamnagar refinery is currently the largest oil refinery in the world. Producing, transporting, and refining crude oil into fuels such as gasoline and diesel accounts for 15-40% of the well-to-wheel life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions (Masnadi, et al. The Innovation 4(1), 100361. This article discusses ways to immediately reduce emissions in refineries, and it suggests ways to strategically use refineries to drive significantly larger emission 5. 80an kkaryc exikcoi 7iuc u9n7u ykzz 2m sz1ww utip hy