How the Petroleum Refining Industry Approaches Energy Conservation--A Case Study

A review was made concerning conservation achievements in the petroleum refining industry, and the impact existing Federal energy conservation and fuel-switching programs have had in furthering conservation gains and encouraging switching to coal. The U.S. petroleum refining industry accounts for about 4 percent of total domestic energy consumption and over 10 percent of all energy consumed by the industrial sector. In 1978 alone, refineries consumed the equivalent of 1.4 million barrels per day of crude oil in producing refined petroleum products, or about 1 barrel of crude oil for every 10 barrels refined.