Opportunities for Emission Reduction in the Transformation of Petroleum Refining

Abstract

[Abstract] Crude oil accounts for approximately 40% of global energy consumption, and the refining sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly through the production of hard-to-abate fuels such as aviation fuel and fuel oil. This study disaggregates the refinery into its key process units to identify decarbonization opportunities along the entire production chain. Units are categorized into combustion-based processes—including crude and vacuum distillation, hydrogen production, coking, and fluid catalytic cracking—and non-combustion processes, which exhibit lower emission intensities. The analysis reveals that GHG emissions can be reduced by up to 60% with currently available technologies, without requiring major structural changes. Electrification, residual heat recovery, renewable hydrogen for desulfurization, and process optimization through digitaltwins are identified as priority measures, many of which are also economically viable in theshort term. However, achieving full decarbonization and alignment with net-zero targets will require the deployment of carbon capture technologies. These results highlight thesignificant potential for emission reduction in refineries and reinforce their strategic role in enabling the transition toward low-carbon fuels.