Izimboni zokucubungula uwoyela ongahluziwe ziwumgogodla wezimboni zamandla zesimanje, ziphendula uwoyela ongahluziwe ube yizinsiza zokushisa, amafutha okugcoba, nezinto zokwakha amakhemikhali ezishukumisa umnotho womhlaba wonke. Inqubo yokucubungula uwoyela ongahluziwe iyimigudu eyinkimbinkimbi yemisebenzi yomzimba namakhemikhali eyenzelwe ukuhlukanisa uwoyela ongahluziwe ube izingxenye zawo eziyigugu, ngayinye inezicelo ezithile ezokuthutha, ukukhiqiza, nezinye izimboni eziningi. Ngaphandle kwezimboni zokucubungula, uwoyela ongahluziwe otholakala ngaphansi komhlaba ungahlala uyisixube sama-hydrocarbon esingenakusetshenziswa futhi anenani elilinganiselwe. Imboni yesimanje yokucubungula uwoyela ingumangaliso wobunjiniyela bezimboni, esebenza ubusuku nemini ukukhiqiza uphethiloli, uwoyela wedizili, uphethiloli wezindiza, uwoyela wokushisa, i-asphalt, kanye nezinto zokusetshenziswa zamapulasitiki nezinto ezenziweyo. Ukuqonda inqubo ephelele yokucubungula uwoyela ongahluziwe kusiza amabhizinisi nabathengi ukuba babonge ubuchwepheshe obuyinkimbinkimbi ngemuva kwethonsi ngalinye likaphethiloli esilisebenzisayo. Imboni yokucubungula iqhubeka nokuthuthuka ukuze ihlangabezane nezidingo zemakethe eziguqukayo, imithetho yezemvelo, kanye nokutholakala kwezinto zokusetshenziswa.

Ngaphambi kokuba uwoyela oluhlaza ufinyelele esikhungweni sokucubungula, udlula ekuguqukeni okumangalisayo kwemvelo okuthatha izigidi zeminyaka ngaphansi komhlaba. Ukwakheka kukaphethiloli kuqala ngokuqoqwa kwezinto eziphilayo ezincane zasolwandle, ikakhulukazi i-plankton nama-algae, ezansi kwezilwandle zasendulo lapho zixubana khona nezinto ezisemhlabeni ezindaweni ezingenayo umoya-mpilo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi sezinto eziphilayo, lezi zinto eziphilayo ziba ngaphansi kwezendlalelo zesihlabathi namatshe, zithonywe ingcindezi enkulu nokushisa okuguqula kancane kancane izinto eziphilayo zibe yi-kerogen futhi ekugcineni zibe ama-hydrocarbon olwandle. Le nqubo yemvelo, eyaziwa ngokuthi ukwakheka kukaphethiloli, idinga izimo ezithile zokushisa, ingcindezi, nesikhathi ukuze kukhiqizwe ingxube eyinkimbinkimbi yama-hydrocarbon esiwabiza uwoyela oluhlaza. Uwoyela oluhlaza obangelwayo uhlukahlukene kakhulu ngokwakheka kwawo kuye ngomthombo wawo, kusuka kuwoyela oluhlaza olulula, olumnandi olugeleza kalula kuya kuwoyela oluhlaza osindayo, omuncu odinga ukucubungulwa kakhulu. Ososayensi bomhlaba kanye nonjiniyela kaphethiloli basebenzisa ubuchwepheshe obuthuthukisiwe bokuthwebula izithombe ze-seismic nokugrumbula ukuze bathole lezi zigcini ezingaphansi komhlaba, balethe uwoyela oluhlaza ebusweni ngemishayo engaba amakhilomitha angaphansi komhlaba. Le nto eluhlaza bese iqala uhambo lwayo ngemishayo namaloli ezikhungweni zokucubungula, lapho inqubo eyinkimbinkimbi yokuhlukanisa uwoyela oluhlaza iyiguqule ibe imikhiqizo ethengiswayo.

Inqubo yokuhlanzwa kukaphethiloli eluhlaza ihlanganisa izigaba ezintathu eziyinhloko — ukuhlukanisa, ukuguqula, nokwelapha — ngayinye idlala indima ebalulekile ekuguquleni ukhaphethiloli oluhlaza lube yimikhiqizo eqediwe ehlangabezana nezimfuneko eziqinile zemboni. Wonke ama-refinery aklanywa ngokukhethekile ngokusekelwe ohlotsheni lukaphethiloli oluhlaza olucubungulayo kanye nengxube yemikhiqizo ehlose ukuyikhiqiza, kodwa zonke zihlanganyela lezi zimiso eziyisisekelo zokusebenza ezinhliziyweni zazo. Inqubo yokuhlanzwa kukaphethiloli imele enye yezimboni ezidinga imali eningi kakhulu emhlabeni, nama-refinery amanje abiza izigidigidi zamaRandi ukwakhiwa nokugcinwa kuwo wonke umhlaba. Lezi zindawo zisebenza ngokunemba okumangalisayo, ziqapha izinto eziningi ukuze kuqinisekiswe ikhwalithi yomkhiqizo, ukuphepha, nokuhambisana nemithetho yezemvelo kuzo zonke izigaba zokukhiqiza. Ukuhlanganiswa kobuchwepheshe bedijithali obuthuthukisiwe nokuzenzakalela kuthuthukise kakhulu ukusebenza kahle nokwethembeka kwe-refinery emashumini eminyaka adlule. Ama-refinery namuhla angaguqula ngaphezu kwamaphesenti angamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye kaphethiloli oluhlaza olufakiwe lube yimikhiqizo eyigugu, ukuthuthuka okumangalisayo kusukela emashumini eminyaka adlule lapho izinto eziningi ezisindayo zazinenzuzo encane.

Isinyathelo sokuqala nesibaluleke kakhulu kunoma iyiphi i-refinery ukuhlukaniswa kwe-crude oil ngokushisa okuhlukahlukene (fractional distillation), inqubo yokuhlukanisa ngokomzimba esebenzisa amaphuzu abilayo ahlukene ezinhlanganisela ze-hydrocarbon ekuxubeni kwe-crude. Kule nqubo, i-crude oil ifudunyezwa ibe izinga lokushisa elidlula u-370 degrees Celsius kuhhavini ngaphambi kokuba iphumpwe phansi kwesigubhu eside sokuhlukanisa esingaba ngaphezu kwamamitha ayikhulu ubude. Njengoba izinto ezishisayo zinyuka esigubungwini, ziphola ngezindlela ezahlukene, i-hydrocarbon elula yona iqine phezulu kanti izinto ezisindayo ziqoqa eduze ngezansi ezingeni elihlukene lamathreyi. Le nqubo yokuhlukanisa i-crude oil ikhiqiza imifudlana yemikhiqizo eminingi ngesikhathi esisodwa, okubandakanya igesi ye-refinery, uphethiloli (gasoline), i-naphtha, u-kerosene, u-diesel, u-gas oil, kanye no-residual fuel oil ezingeni elihlukene lesigubhu. Ukuhlukaniswa kwe-crude oil ngokushisa okuhlukahlukene kuyinqubo eqhubekayo esebenza ubusuku nemini, lapho izinkulungwane zamabhareli e-crude oil zicutshungulwa nsuku zonke ku-refinery yesimanje evamile. Ukulawulwa kwezinga lokushisa ngaphakathi kwesigubhu sokuhlukanisa kubaluleke kakhulu, ngoba ngisho nokushintsha okuncane kungathinta kakhulu imiphumela yemikhiqizo kanye nezinga lekhwalithi lezinhlelo zokucubungula ezilandelayo. Ukusebenza kahle kwalokhu kuhlukaniswa kokuqala kunquma ikhwalithi nenani lemifudlana ephakathi edluliselwa ezinhlelweni zokuguqula nokwelapha kulo lonke i-refinery.

Ngenkathi ukuhlukanisa kukhipha uwoyela oluhlaza ube izingxenye zawo zemvelo, izinqubo zokuguqula zishintsha kakhulu isakhiwo samamolekyuli ama-hydrocarbon ukudala imikhiqizo enenani elikhulu kusuka ezintweni ezisindayo. Izinqubo zokugqekeza, okubandakanya ukugqekeza okunguketshezi okubangelwa ukubola kanye ne-hydrocracking, zihlukanisa ama-molecule amakhulu, asindayo ama-hydrocarbon abe amancane, alula angahlanganiswa uwoyela kaphethiloli kanye nodizili wezimakethe zokuhamba. Izinqubo zokubuyekeza zihlela kabusha isakhiwo samamolekyuli e-naphtha ukukhiqiza izingxenye zikapetroli ezinomfutho ophezulu kanye nezinto ezibalulekile zokukhiqiza uwoyela njenge-benzene, i-toluene, ne-xylene ezihlinzeka imboni yamaplastiki. Izinqubo zokugcoba ziphathelene nensalela esindayo kakhulu kusuka ekholamu yokuhlukanisa, ziyiguqule ibe imikhiqizo elula kanye ne-petroleum coke, enezicelo zezimboni njengomthombo wokushisa kanye nokukhiqiza izinto zikagesi. I-Alkylation ihlanganisa izinsiza zama-hydrocarbon alula ukukhiqiza izingxenye zokuhlanganisa ezine-octane ephezulu zikapetroli we-premium, okwandisa kakhulu inani lemiphumela yonke yesitshalo sokucubungula uwoyela. Lezi zinqubo zokuguqula zivumela izitshalo zokucubungula uwoyela ukuthi zikhiqize kakhulu izinsiza zokuhamba ezidingeka kakhulu ngenkathi zinciphisa izingxenye ezisindayo ezinamabanga aphansi ezingabe zidayiswa ngesaphulelo. Ukukhetha nokuhlelwa kwamayunithi okuguqula kumele kube isinqumo esikhulu samasu kubasebenzi besitshalo sokucubungula uwoyela, okuthinta ngqo inzuzo kanye nokuguquguquka ukuze kuphendulwe ezidingweni zemakethe ezishintshayo.

Isigaba sokugcina senqubo yokuhlanzwa kukaphethiloli obandayo sihlanganisa ukwelapha imifudlana yemikhiqizo ehlukahlukene ukuze kususwe izinto ezingcolile futhi kuhlangatshezwane nezimfuneko zekhwalithi eziqinile ezidingwa abalawuli nabasetshenzisi bokugcina. I-Hydrotreating isusa isulfure, i-nitrogen, kanye nokungcola kwensimbi ngokuzihlanganisa ne-hydrogen ngaphansi kwengcindezi ephezulu nokushisa okuphezulu, ikhiqize izinsiza ezihlanzekile ezihlangabezana nemithethonqubo yezemvelo eqinile emhlabeni wonke. Izinqubo zokuhlanzwa ziguqula izinhlanganisela zesulfure ezilimazayo zibe izimo ezingalimazi kangako, ziqinisekise ukuphepha nokuzinza kwemikhiqizo eqediwe ngesikhathi sokugcina nokuthutha. Imisebenzi yokuhlanganisa ihlanganisa imifudlana ehlukahlukene ehlanzekile, kanye nezithako ezikhethekile, ukuze kwakhiwe imikhiqizo yokugcina ehlangabezana namazinga athile okusebenza wezinga le-octane, inombolo ye-cetane, ingcindezi yomusi, nezinye izinto ezibalulekile. Amalebhu okulawula ikhwalithi ahlola njalo amasampula kuyo yonke inqubo yokuhlanzwa, esebenzisa amathuluzi okuhlaziya athuthukile afana ne-gas chromatographs nama-spectrometers ukuze aqinisekise ukuthi yonke imikhiqizo ihlangabezana nezimfuneko zomthetho nezamakhastoma. Ukuhlanganiswa kwale misebenzi yokwelapha nokuhlanganisa kuqinisekisa ukuthi imikhiqizo yokugcina ephuma esitokisini sokuhlanzwa iphephile, ithembekile, futhi ilungele izinhlelo zayo ezihloselwe ezimotweni, ezindizeni, eziminyaneni, nemishini yezimboni emhlabeni wonke.

Uma sehlungiwe, imikhiqizo kaphethiloli kufanele igcinwe ngokuphepha futhi ithuthwe kahle ukuze ifinyelele abasebenzisi bokugcina emhlabeni wonke ngokusebenzisa inethiwekhi eyinkimbinkimbi yezinto zokuthutha. Amathangi okugcina ezimbonini agcina konke kusuka kuma-gasoline ashukumayo kuya emafutheni anzima, ngalinye lidinga izici ezithile zokuklama ukuze kugcinwe ukuphepha, kuvinjelwe ukuphuma komoya, futhi kugcinwe ikhwalithi yomkhiqizo phakathi nezikhathi zokugcina. Imibhobho ihlala iyindlela ephumelela kakhulu yokuthutha imiqulu emikhulu yemikhiqizo ehlungiwe phezu komhlaba, kanti imikhumbi ethwala uwoyela iphathe ukusabalala kwamalwandle amaningi ngaphesheya kwezilwandle namalwandle. Yonke imiqeqebana yokuhlinzekwa kukaphethiloli, kusukela ekuhloleni nasekwenziweni kuze kube sekuhlungeni kuze kube ukulethwa kokugcina, kuncike kwingqalasizinda ethembekile nemishini ekhethekile eyenziwe abahlinzeki bemboni. Izinkampani ezifana ne河北凯源石油支撑剂有限公司 (Hebei Kaiyuan Oil Proppant Co., Ltd.)idlalela indima ebalulekile yokusekela kuleli hlelo ngokukhiqiza ama-proppant wokufakelwa kwamafutha aphezulu asebenza kahle ekukhishweni kukaphethiloli kusuka ezindaweni eziyinselele zezindawo. Lezi ziphrofayela, ezitholakala ngokusebenzisa ezabo ezibanziumugqa womkhiqizo, kubalulekile emisebenzini yokuhlukanisa ngamandla eyandisa ukukhiqiza komthombo kanye nokwandisa impilo yezomnotho yemithombo kawoyela. Ukuzibophezela kwabo emazingeni aqinile ekhwalithi kanye nokuqamba okusha okuqhubekayo, njengoba kuchazwe ku-Ikhasi Lethu Ngathi, kuqinisekisa ukuthi ukukhiqizwa kukaphethiloli ophuma phezulu kuhambisana namandla okucwengwa kwezinto ezisezingeni eliphansi ukuze kuhlangatshezwane nesidingo samandla omhlaba.

Ukucecelelwa kukaphethiloli kunemiphumela emikhulu kwezemvelo, kusukela ekukhishweni komoya namanzi asetshenziswayo kuya ekukhiqizweni kukadoti oluqinile kanye nokukhiqizwa kwegesi elishisayo okumele kuphathwe ngendlela efanele. Izimboni zokucecelelwa zesimanje zisebenzisa ubuchwepheshe obuyinkimbinkimbi bokulawula ukungcola, okuhlanganisa namayunithi okuthola isulfure athwebula ngaphezu kwamaphesenti angamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye amakhemikhali esulfure, izindawo zokwelapha amanzi angcolile ezisebenzisa kabusha amanzi enqubo, kanye nezinhlelo zokukhipha i-sulfur emoyeni oshisayo ezinciphisa ukukhishwa kwegesi eline-asidi. Imboni yenze intuthuko enkulu ekwehliseni ukukhishwa nge-barrel kawoyela oluhlaza ocwengiwe, lapho izimboni eziningi zithola ukuthuthuka okukhulu ekusebenzeni kahle kwamandla kanye nokulawula ukukhishwa ngokuthuthukisa izinqubo nokuthuthukisa imishini. Ubuchwepheshe bokubamba nokugcina i-carbon buhlolwa njengendlela yokubhekana nesandla semboni ekushintsheni kwesimo sezulu, lapho amaphrojekthi amaningana okubonisa asevele asebenza ngesikali sokuhweba emhlabeni wonke. Ukuguqukela kumafutha aphansi e-carbon kanye nezinto zokwakha ezivuselelekayo kuguqula imboni yokucecelelwa, lapho izindawo eziningi zitshala ezindaweni zokucubungula ezihlangene zezinto ezisekelwe kubhayoloji kanye nawoyela oluhlaza ojwayelekile. Lezi zici zemvelo zishayela ubuchwepheshe engozini yenqubo yokucecelelwa kukaphethiloli oluhlaza, zicindezela imboni ukuba iye emisebenzini ehlanzekile, ezinzile evumelanisa ukuphepha kwamandla nokuziphendulela kwezemvelo ezizukulwaneni ezizayo.

Yisiphi isinyathelo sokuqala engozini yokucwengwa kukaphethiloli? Isinyathelo sokuqala ukuhlukaniswa kukaphethiloli ngokwezinga lokushisa, lapho kukhuphuka khona ukushisa kukaphethiloli kungaphezu kuka-370 degrees Celsius futhi kuhlukaniswe izigaba ezahlukene ze-hydrocarbon ngokusekelwe kumaphuzu abo okubilisa ahlukene emgqeni omude wokuhlukanisa ongadlula amamitha ayikhulu ukuphakama.

Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani ukwakheka kukaphethiloli? Ukwakheka kukaphethiloli kudinga izigidi zeminyaka, ngokuvamile phakathi kweminyaka engu-50 no-350 million, okubandakanya ukungcwatshwa kancane kancane, ukushisa, nokucindezelwa kwezinto eziphilayo ngaphansi kwezimo ezithile ze-geological ezindaweni ezisemanzini emhlabeni wonke.

Yimiphi imikhiqizo eyenziwa ngenqubo yokuhlukanisa uwoyela oluhlaza ezimbonini zokucwenga? Inqubo yokuhlukanisa uwoyela oluhlaza ikhiqiza imikhiqizo ehlukahlukene okubalwa kuyo igesi kaphethiloli elinguketshezi (liquefied petroleum gas), uphethiloli (gasoline), i-naphtha, uwoyela wokushisa izindiza (jet fuel), uwoyela kadizili, uwoyela wokushisa izindlu, ama-lubricant, amaviki, i-asphalt, kanye nezinto ezahlukahlukene zokwenza amakhemikhali ezihlinzeka izimboni zamapulasitiki nezamakhemikhali.

Kungani ukususwa kukasawoti kubaluleke kangaka ekucwengeni kukaphethiloli kwesimanje? Izingxenye zikasona emafutheni zikhiqiza i-sulfur dioxide lapho zishiswa, okubangela ukwakheka kwezulu elinobuthi (acid rain) nezinkinga zempilo yokuphefumula, ngakho-ke izinqubo ze-hydrotreating zisusa usawoti ukuze kuhlangatshezwane nemithetho yezemvelo eqinile ehambisana nohulumeni emhlabeni wonke.

I-hydraulic fracturing ihlobana kanjani nenqubo yokucwenga kukaphethiloli? I-hydraulic fracturing ithuthukisa ukukhiqizwa kukaphethiloli oluhlaza ezindaweni eziqinile zomhlaba, kwandisa isamba sikaphethiloli oluhlaza olutholakala ezimbonini zokucwenga ukuthi zicubungule, futhi izinkampani ezifana noHebei Kaiyuanukukhiqiza ama-proppant agcina imifantu ivulekile ngenkathi enikezaizixazululo ezenziwe ngendlela efaneleyezimo ezithile zomthombo kanye nezinhlobo zakho.

Inqubo yokuhlanzwa kukaphethiloli iguqula uwoyela oluhlaza osuka ekuxubeni kwemvelo kwama-hydrocarbon ube yimikhiqizo ebalulekile esebenza isintu samanje, kusuka ezintweni zokuhamba kuya ezakhiweni zezinto eziningi ezakhiwe esizisebenzisa nsuku zonke. Ukuqonda inqubo ephelele yokuhlanzwa kukaphethiloli oluhlaza, kusukela ekuqaleni kokuhlukaniswa kukaphethiloli oluhlaza ngokusebenzisa ukuhlukaniswa okuyingxenye kuze kube ukuguqulwa, ukwelashwa, nokuhlanganiswa, kwembula ubunjiniyela namakhemikhali amangalisayo ngemuva kwemikhiqizo yansuku zonke enika umnotho wethu amandla. Ukwakheka kukaphethiloli kumele imithombo yemvelo eyathatha iminyaka eyizigidi ukudala, okwenza ukuthi ukusebenza kahle nokuzibophezela esihlanza ngayo kubaluleke kakhulu ekuthuthukisweni okuzinzile. Kusukela engozini yokuhlukaniswa kukaphethiloli oluhlaza emakholamu okuhlukanisa kuze kube izilawuli zemvelo ezithuthukisiwe ezindaweni zokuhlanzwa zesimanje, sonke isigaba sokuhlanzwa sibonisa ukuqanjwa okusha okuqhubekayo nokuthuthukiswa okushukumiswa yizinto zemakethe kanye nezimfuno zomthetho. Njengoba indawo yamandla emhlabeni wonke iguqukela ezindleleni ezingenawo amacarbon amancane, umkhakha wokuhlanzwa uyaqhubeka nokuzivumelanisa ngokutshala imali ezobuchwepheshe obuhlanzekile nokwehlukahlukana ezintweni ezintsha ngenkathi kugcinwa ukuhlinzekwa okuthembekile kwemikhiqizo umphakathi ongayidinga ezokuhamba, ukufudumala, nokukhiqiza. Izinkampani ezifana ne河北凯源石油支撑剂有限公司 (Hebei Kaiyuan Oil Proppant Co., Ltd.)imele ubudlelwano obujulile bemboni kaphethiloli, ihlinzeka ngezinto ezibalulekile ezisekela uchungechunge lonke lwenani kusukela ekukhishweni kukaphethiloli kuya ekulethweni komkhiqizo ophelile.