wrote:   
   > Glen Labah  wrote:   
   >> In article <9e7cv.1731191$Tw2.1227651@fx15.iad>,   
   >>  Sancho Panza  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> Is North Slope crude "pre-refined"?   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> No. Typically they separate out and burn off the volatile stuff in huge   
   >> gas flares.  These are the stereotypical huge flames you see coming out   
   >> of oil wells from time to time. With the value of the flammables as   
   >> fuels they may have now come up with a way to transport that to market   
   >> as well.   
   >>   
   >> The vapor pressures of these volatiles are so different than the rest of   
   >> the crude it isn't really that difficult to separate them, and run the   
   >> volatiles to a flare.   
   >>   
   >> In places like North Dakota it shouldn't really be that difficult to   
   >> bottle the stuff rather than burning it.  Or, burn it in a gas turbine   
   >> and generate electricity with it and send it through the local power   
   >> line.   
   >   
   > The natural gas gets flared off or sent to a gas plant in North Dakota just   
   > like everywhere else. (Still mostly flared, because the expansion of the   
   > gathering and processing network can't keep up with the rate at which wells   
   > are being drilled. Google "Bakken flares from space" for an interesting   
   > image.)   
   >   
   > That's not the issue. It's the remaining liquids that are - apparently -   
   > more volatile than previously assumed. The liquid gets broken into its   
   > component chemicals in a refinery, not at the wellhead.   
      
   Here's an article that explains in a little more detail the process of   
   separating out some of the lighter components. I'm still not 100% clear on   
   this to be honest, but it sounds like the critical step is heating the   
   liquid so that additional dissolved gases are separated out (beyond those   
   that separate on their own when the crude reaches atmospheric pressure)???   
      
   http://news.yahoo.com/safety-debate-eyes-taming-bakken-crude-hit   
   -rails-164044216--finance.html   
      
   Anyhow, to my naive way of thinking, separating out these substances just   
   raises the question of, how would you then get them to market? At the   
   moment, the obvious answer would probably be, ship them by rail, but maybe   
   I'm missing something...   
      
   Dan   
      
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