Vacuum Gas Oil (VGO) is a type of petroleum derivative that is produced during the vacuum distillation phase of crude oil refining. When crude oil is heated, lighter and more volatile components are distilled off at lower temperatures before heavier oils. The heaviest fractions, which cannot be vaporized at atmospheric pressure without decomposing, are treated in a vacuum distillation column where the pressure is below atmospheric pressure. This process allows these heavy parts to vaporize at lower temperatures and be separated from the residual bottom elements, known as vacuum residue.

The resulting Vacuum Gas Oil is an intermediate product with a relatively high boiling range, typically between 350°C and 550°C (660°F to 1020°F). VGO is primarily used as a feedstock for further processing in fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units or hydrocracking units to produce lighter, more valuable products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other high-grade fuels and petrochemicals.

VGO’s composition and quality can vary depending on the characteristics of the crude oil from which it is derived and the specific conditions within the vacuum distillation unit. It generally consists of complex hydrocarbon chains and may contain sulfur, nitrogen, and metallic compounds that need further processing and treatment to produce end-user products.

For more information about Vacuum Gas Oil, please refer to the following sources:

1. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
The EIA provides data, analysis, and information on petroleum and other energy sectors, including refining processes and the types of products derived from crude oil.
Website: https://www.eia.gov/

2. American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM)
AFPM is a trade association representing high-tech American manufacturers of the entire U.S. supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, other fuels, and home heating oil, as well as petrochemicals. They offer educational resources on the refining process and various petroleum products, including Vacuum Gas Oil.
Website: https://www.afpm.org/

Please note that the provided links are leading to the main pages of the respective organizations, as direct links to specific articles or pages about Vacuum Gas Oil may change over time or be subject to the organizations’ site structures. Visitors can use the search function on these websites to find the most up-to-date and detailed information on Vacuum Gas Oil.