Petroleum Refining in Nontechnical Language 4th Edition

Great read. Yes, it says "non technical", but there the subject matter is still pretty weighty. Leffler does a great job of adding humor and levity and historical context to an otherwise dry subject. As an engineer now working in sales and management, this book fits my needs exactly. The topics are pretty extensive and the book is sectioned up very well. Unless you are a refiner or a savant, it would be hard to recall everything in this book, so it's good that leffler makes it so easy to quickly find what you need.

You can’t literally discuss petroleum refining without being technical. the topics that ARE technical are discussed in a very clear and easy to understand approach. This is a great book for someone first studying this fascinating topic, but is unfamiliar with terms and concepts. The book is a fabulous first step in the learning process. This book will prepare you for a more advanced study that would include the math, etc.

Good Read

This is an excellent introduction to the physical/chemical aspects of the petroleum industry. The book packs a lot of information in its 259 pages. It is in its 4th edition. There is information in that. There is not much fluff, other than witty quotes at the beginning of each chapter., e.g., the chapter on Refinery Gas Plants begins with “… and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divedeth his sheep from the goats.” -Matthew 25:32. There are minor errors, e.g., George Dantzig’s name (of linear programming fame) is spelled two different ways, neither correct. There is a nice chapter on sources and kinds of crude oil, however, this material is about ten years old. It has nothing on “fracking.”

I bought this book because I changed my job and moved to a technical assistance to sales position. I have a MBA Chemical Engineering background and in the earlier years of my carrier I designed equipment for chemical industry so I found the few tecnicalities inside the book pretty easy to understand.In my new job I am supposed to visit refineries I needed to brush up my technical language in order to establish effective communication channels with our customers.I think the book was a very good purchase because it gave me the right information at the right level of detail I was looking for.

Great book, using it for a college class.

If you are new to Refining, or just curious, this book is an excellent place to start. The author makes the subject very approachable for lay people and engineers new to refining. The books starts out with a description of the physical separation processes of distillation and vacuum flashing, and then moves carefully into the processes that require chemical reactions. No need to be a chemistry whiz; the author keeps the principles understandable. Highly recommend. Now if the publisher would only come out with a Kindle edition!

Good reading for the interested.