Abstract
•We develop a comprehensive time-series CO2 emission dataset for 1,056 global refineries •CO2 emissions from global oil refineries rise by 24% between 2000 and 2018 •If they operate as usual, global refineries would cumulatively emit 16.5 Gt during 2020–2030 •Low-carbon measures can help reduce up to 10% of cumulative emissions during 2020–2030 Continuous expansion of fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure can be one of the key obstacles in delivering the Paris Agreement goals. The oil refinery is the world's third-largest stationary emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs), but the historical mapping of the regional-specific refining industry, their CO2 emission patterns, and mitigation potentials remain understudied. This study develops a plant-level, technical-specific, and time-series global refinery CO2 emission inventory, covering 1,056 refineries from 2000 to 2018. The CO2 emissions of the refinery industry were about 1.3 gigatonnes (Gt) in 2018, representing 4% of the total. If current technical specifications continue, the global refineries will cumulatively emit 16.5 Gt of CO2 during 2020–2030. The refineries vary in operation age, refining configuration structure, and geographical location, leading to the demand for specific mitigation strategies, such as improving refinery efficiency and upgrading heavy oil processing technologies, which could potentially reduce global cumulative emissions by 10% during 2020–2030. Continuous expansion of fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure can be one of the key obstacles in delivering the Paris Agreement goals. The oil refinery is the world's third-largest stationary emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs), but the historical mapping of the regional-specific refining industry, their CO2 emission patterns, and mitigation potentials remain understudied. This study develops a plant-level, technical-specific, and time-series global refinery CO2 emission inventory, covering 1,056 refineries from 2000 to 2018. The CO2 emissions of the refinery industry were about 1.3 gigatonnes (Gt) in 2018, representing 4% of the total. If current technical specifications continue, the global refineries will cumulatively emit 16.5 Gt of CO2 during 2020–2030. The refineries vary in operation age, refining configuration structure, and geographical location, leading to the demand for specific mitigation strategies, such as improving refinery efficiency and upgrading heavy oil processing technologies, which could potentially reduce global cumulative emissions by 10% during 2020–2030.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
