Hydrogenating Oil

For several years, Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey and I. G. Farbenindustrie, German chemical "trust," have been developing hydrogenation, a new process for oil refining. Last week, the method made its first commercial appearance with the opening of Standard Oil's new hydrogenation plant, first in the U. S., at Bayway, N. J.

As the cracking process of today, added to the oldtime straight-run process, made possible a higher gasoline recovery from crude oil, so hydrogenation, supplementing these two methods, is expected to add to the efficiency of oil refining. Unlike the present method of oil refining, hydrogenation is a synthetic process. In the presence of a catalyst, hydrogen is combined with crude oil under heavy pressures, high temperatures. The combined influences of catalyst, pressure and heat cause the hydrogen and the hydrocarbon molecules to split. The hydrogen atoms immediately combine with the hydrocarbons, form the proper light oil arrangement. Hydrogenation makes possible 100% gasoline recovery from the original crude oil. Recovery from straight-run and cracking is only 50%.

Almost any quality or gravity of crude oil may be used as a base for obtaining gasoline. Should petroleum resources be depleted, factories using the new method may effectively use coal as a base by simply installing a machine for grinding the coal into a powder and a contrivance for removing ashes.

Planning no monopoly, Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey and its German associate have formed a Hydro-Patents Co. through which U. S. oil companies may share the advantages of the new process (TIME, June 16). Sixteen big refiners have already subscribed to stock in the company. Companies which have shown interest in installing the new process represent 80% of the total U. S. refining capacity.

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