Synthetic crude is a type of crude oil developed by upgrading bitumen (a tar like substance found in tar sands). Once upgraded to synthetic crude, the oil can be transported via pipeline for refining to gasoline and other types of petroleum products.

Synthetic crude may also be created using a Fischer-Tropsch process to synthesize liquid hydrocarbons from synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and methane.

Synthetic crude is not the same as synthetic motor oil.

External links

• Alberta Oil Sands Discovery Centre
• Bitumen and Synthetic Crude Oil

Petroleum | Syncrude