How Is Mineral Oil Produced?

Mineral oil can often be found in beauty and cosmetics products.

Mineral oil often refers to one of two things. One is a natural byproduct found deep underground. The other, more common mineral oil, or liquid petroleum, is a refined byproduct of crude oil. The refining process is done through distillation, which creates more than just mineral oil. Crude oil, also known as petroleum, can be refined into butane, gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel and heavy gas oils.

Oil Underground

The first type of mineral oil refers to one of the three sources of oil; mineral, organic and synthetic. Mineral oil is called such because it is found buried in the earth's crust like a mineral. This type of oil is created from plants, animals and bacteria that died millions of years ago. Like coal, layers of rock and mud created pressure and heat which caused the remains to change into hydrocarbons. Organic oil refers to oil produced by living creatures through biological processes.

Synthetic oil refers to man-made oil which does not come from crude oil. This oil is artificially created to allow an engine to operate in extreme temperatures and conditions more efficiently than natural refined oil.

Crude Oil

Crude oil is a tarry substance commonly found in mineral oil deposits underground. It is refined into many byproducts like gasoline, kerosene, mineral oil and heavy oils. This is done through distillation. Petroleum refineries use very large vertical columns called fractionating towers to house the crude oil. These distillation columns have outlets that withdraw lighter hydrocarbons as they are heated, effectively separating each of the different types of possible petroleum products. For example, substances like gasoline are considered lighter and are recovered at low temperatures, usually less than 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butane and naptha are recovered between 350F and 1,000F.

White Mineral Oil

Refined mineral oil, sometimes called white mineral oil and liquid petroleum, is a colorless, liquid byproduct obtained through fractional distillation. Baby oils of the past used to be just mineral oil with some fragrance, but consumer consciousness began to sway from using byproducts related to gasoline and petroleum. Digesting mineral oil can cause cramping, diarrhea and nausea. It can also irritate the skin, eyes and lungs.

Production

Mineral oil is not necessarily the waste product leftover from manufacturing all the other petrol byproducts. In fact, it requires an additional processing called hydrogenation and more purification. The end result is a lubricant that acts as a moisture barrier to the skin which prevents water from leaving. The properties of mineral oil, like its lubrication, have a variety of uses. It can be found in ink solvents, cosmetics, cleaners, moisturizers, coolants and food additives.

Concerns

Some mineral oils have polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and are known to be cancer-causing substances. People who work with these oils should be cautious. However, the type of mineral oil used in cosmetics, moisturizers, and food additives are considered medicinal white oil, which is highly purified and refined and produces non-threatening PAH levels. According to Chemically Pure, an online information site on chemicals, there are no known cases of white mineral oil-causing cancer.

References

• U.S. Energy Information Administration: Refining
• Roughneck Chronicles: Fractional Distillation of Petroleum
• Chemically Pure: Mineral Oil