Refined Products
Refined products is the term given to the output streams produced by a refinery. These products differ from petrochemical products in that they generally consist of a mixture of chemicals, whose value is based on their combined physical properties rather than their chemistry. Refined products are used as energy sources across all areas of economic activity, with the petrochemical industry accounting for only a small percentage of total demand.
Refinery Propylene
Refinery propylene refers to a mixture of propylene and propane (typically 75 percent propylene) that is produced by refineries for sale to petrochemical producers or for use as a feedstock to make gasoline components. Refinery propylene can be upgraded to propylene by distillation in a propylene splitter. Refinery propylene can also be used directly as a feedstock for production of cumene.
Reformate
Reformate is the term given to the side stream produced by refinery reformers. These units are designed to produce higher value gasoline components from highly aromatic naphtha streams. Reformate is produced from naphtha in continuous catalytic reformers and semi-regenerative reformers and is a mixture of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. Its composition can be controlled within limits by the aromatics producer. It is the major source of aromatics in most of the world.