Fueling Curiosity: The ABCs of Refining
A window into the hidden world of incredible engineering that keeps our modern society moving.
A window into the hidden world of incredible engineering that keeps our modern society moving.
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How do refineries turn it into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and hundreds of other products we rely on every day? Fueling Curiosity introduces readers to the fascinating world of petroleum refining through clear explanations, approachable language, and engaging illustrations.
From A is for Acid to Z is for Zeolite, each letter explores a real concept using friendly storytelling to demystify an industry that quietly powers everyday life.
A special "Beyond the ABCs" section dives deeper, explaining how refinery decisions involve tradeoffs between cost, efficiency, and production.
An accurate window into one of the most complex industrial systems in the world—because understanding how things work is the first step toward building what comes next.
Refineries use very strong acids to help small fuel pieces stick together. This makes clean, valuable gasoline.
The FCC is the refinery's molecule splitter. It uses tons of tiny helper beads, called catalyst. These beads break big oil molecules into smaller, useful pieces for gasoline and diesel.
Taylor Bloomquist is a logistics manager at a complex refinery, responsible for overseeing the critical operations that turn raw crude into the products we use every day. Dedicated to making STEM concepts accessible, Taylor wrote Fueling Curiosity so families could finally understand the vital work done by dedicated refinery employees everywhere.