Light oil cracking to petroleum gas

Light oil cracking to petroleum gas is a recipe that converts Light oil into Petroleum gas. The recipe is part of the set of oil processing and cracking recipes and is unlocked by the technology Advanced oil processing. Its internal identifier is light-oil-cracking.

The recipe is one of several used to manage and rebalance the three main refinery products (Heavy oil, Light oil, and Petroleum gas) and to feed downstream chemical production. Players commonly chain cracking and refinery outputs to ensure the needed ratios of fluids for chemical plants and other industrial consumers. Light oil cracking to petroleum gas is typically used when Petroleum gas is in shortage while Light oil is in surplus.

• The technology prerequisite for this recipe is Advanced oil processing.
• The internal name for the recipe is light-oil-cracking.
• Light oil cracking is used to convert excess Light oil into Petroleum gas, enabling production of plastics, sulfuric acid feedstocks, and other Petroleum gas–based items.

Practical notes and common uses:

• Use the Circuit network to control and balance fluid flows for cracking recipes. A Circuit-controlled splitter or pump can ensure cracking only runs when Light oil reserves exceed a threshold or when Petroleum gas is below a target, preventing oscillations and waste.
• Cracking is often integrated into a refinery/chemical network where Heavy oil, Light oil, and Petroleum gas flows are managed together. Players convert surplus products via cracking to maintain steady inputs for Chemical plant operations.
• If Heavy oil is abundant and you want to prioritize Lubricant production, route Heavy oil from the Oil refinery through a Chemical plant configured to make Lubricant before sending the pipe to cracking—this ensures Lubricant production takes precedence over cracking-derived outputs.
• Producing Solid fuel is most efficient from Light oil; when Light oil is needed more for Solid fuel than for Petroleum gas, consider adjusting cracking rates or using Heavy oil cracking to first convert Heavy oil into Light oil and then divert Light oil accordingly.

This recipe forms a flexible part of oil industry logistics, allowing players to convert excess Light oil into the more broadly required Petroleum gas and to adapt fluid balances to changing factory demands.