Explain the following terms as applied to distillation of crude oil: Feedstock Blend stock End point

Feedstock: Feedstock refers to the raw material or substance that is used as the starting material in a chemical process, such as the distillation of crude oil. In the context of crude oil distillation, the feedstock is the crude oil itself, which is heated and separated into its various components through the distillation process.

Blend stock: Blend stock refers to a component of the distillation process in which different fractions of crude oil are mixed or blended together to create a specific type of fuel or product. For example, blend stocks may be mixed together to create gasoline with specific properties, such as octane rating or volatility.

End point: The end point in the distillation of crude oil refers to the temperature at which a specific fraction of the crude oil has been completely distilled off. Each fraction of crude oil has a different end point, which is determined by its boiling point. The end point is an important parameter in the distillation process, as it helps to separate the various components of crude oil into their respective fractions.

Feedstock:

- The raw crude oil that is processed in a distillation unit.
- It contains a mixture of hydrocarbons with varying boiling points.

Blend stock:

- A refined product fraction obtained from the distillation process, which can be blended with other products to meet required specifications.
- Specific products such as gasoline, diesel, and heating oil are produced by blending various blend stocks.

End point:

- The temperature at which the distillation process is stopped.
- It represents the boiling point of the heaviest hydrocarbons in the feedstock that can be effectively vaporized and condensed into liquid.
- The end point determines the amount of heavy residues (known as "bottoms") left in the distillation column.