Refining and reforming: Relationships

Every element and industry that Refining and reforming is linked to, and how. Each pair has its own card explaining the relationships between the two.

Crude oil: Refineries are crude's customer and crude is their largest cost, so product prices track crude closely and refiners live on the gap between them, the crack spread. In 2026 that gap blew out, with the US Gulf Coast diesel crack above USD 100 a barrel, while India, which imports about 90% of its crude, is one of the world's large product exporters. (researched)
Hydrogen: Refineries are among the largest hydrogen users, needing it to remove sulphur from fuels and upgrade heavy oil; they make some in their reformers and the rest from gas, and they are now the first big buyers of green hydrogen. (researched)
Renewable diesel and SAF: Renewable diesel and SAF are made with refinery kit, hydrotreaters and hydrogen, so oil refiners make them either by co-processing fats with crude fractions or by converting whole refineries; the fuels then sell into the same diesel and jet markets. (researched)
Oil and product pipelines: Energy flows from oil and product pipelines to refining and reforming; energy flows from refining and reforming to oil and product pipelines; their prices have moved together.
Tankers, barges and fuel trucks: Energy flows from tankers, barges and fuel trucks to refining and reforming; energy flows from refining and reforming to tankers, barges and fuel trucks; their prices have moved together.
CNG, LPG and biogas distribution: Energy flows from refining and reforming to CNG, LPG and biogas distribution; their prices have moved together.
Flare and off-gas recovery: Energy flows from refining and reforming to flare and off-gas recovery; energy flows from flare and off-gas recovery to refining and reforming.
Fuel stocks and strategic reserves: Energy flows from fuel stocks and strategic reserves to refining and reforming; their prices have moved together.
Natural gas: Refining and reforming needs natural gas; their prices have moved together.
Unconventional oil and gas: Energy flows from unconventional oil and gas to refining and reforming; their prices have moved together.
Acrylic acid: Their prices have moved together.
Adhesives and sealants: Their prices have moved together.
Aluminium: Their prices have moved together.
Aviation propulsion: Energy flows from refining and reforming to aviation propulsion.
Benzene: Their prices have moved together.
Biodiesel (FAME): Their prices have moved together.
Bioethanol: Their prices have moved together.
Caprolactam: Their prices have moved together.
Carbon black: Their prices have moved together.
Coal transport: Energy flows from coal transport to refining and reforming.
Combustion road vehicles: Energy flows from refining and reforming to combustion road vehicles.
Conventional oil and gas production: Their prices have moved together.
Energy in farming: Their prices have moved together.
Energy-intensive industry: Energy flows from refining and reforming to energy-intensive industry.
Ethylene: Their prices have moved together.
Explosives and propellants: Energy flows from refining and reforming to explosives and propellants.
Gas pipelines and city gas: Energy flows from gas pipelines and city gas to refining and reforming.
Graphite: Their prices have moved together.
Hospitality and tourism: Hospitality and tourism depends on refining and reforming.
Isopropanol: Their prices have moved together.
Linear alkylbenzene: Their prices have moved together.
MTBE: Their prices have moved together.
Paints and coatings: Their prices have moved together.
Paraxylene: Their prices have moved together.
Phenol and acetone: Their prices have moved together.
Plastic and rubber products: Plastic and rubber products depends on refining and reforming.
Plasticisers: Their prices have moved together.
Propylene: Their prices have moved together.
Purified terephthalic acid: Their prices have moved together.
Ship propulsion: Energy flows from refining and reforming to ship propulsion.
Styrene: Their prices have moved together.
Sulfur: Their prices have moved together.
Sulphuric acid: Their prices have moved together.
Toluene: Their prices have moved together.
Transport and logistics: Transport and logistics depends on refining and reforming.
Waste-to-energy: Energy flows from waste-to-energy to refining and reforming.