Petroleum Coke
Petroleum Coke or "petcoke" is a byproduct of oil refining. Crude oil passes through a process called "fractional distillation", during which it is refined into gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, waxes and other valuable products. The crude residue passes through an additional process known as "coking" to produce additional transport fuels, as well as petcoke.
Varieties
Shot Coke
Used primarily for power generation.
Sponge Coke
Utilized as an ingredient in manufacturing.
Needle Coke
Specialty product used in steel industry.
Industrial Applications
Cement
According to industry studies, fuel use alone accounts of 40% of the costs incurred by the cement industry. Petcoke is a cheap alternative to coal that can slash costs and maintain high grade cement.
Aluminum
Worldwide production of aluminum stands at more than 49 million tons a year. Petcoke is an essential ingredient in the manufacturing of aluminum to be used in food containers and vehicles.
Titanium Dioxide
Titanium dioxide is a key component is the creation of sunscreen and food coloring. Calcined petcoke provides the anodes for the mass production and application of titanium dioxide in these products.
Steel and Iron
The steel industry relies heavily on petcoke to power its electric arc furnaces, which are an important part of the steel making process.
World Production
Petcoke Produced Annually (Thousand Metric Tons)
World Consumption
By Industry