When crude oil is separated into fractions by fractional distillation, the supply of each fraction does not always match the market demand.
The table below shows the relative amount of six fractions in a sample of crude oil and the relative demand for each fraction.
| Crude Oil Fraction | Relative Amount (%) | Relative Demand (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) | 4 | 8 |
| Petrol | 9 | 28 |
| Kerosene | 13 | 20 |
| Diesel oil | 16 | 24 |
| Fuel oil | 46 | 12 |
| Bitumen | 12 | 8 |
Cracking is a process used to convert larger, less useful hydrocarbon fractions into smaller, more useful ones to help match supply with demand.
Use the information in the table to name the fraction that is in the greatest surplus and is most likely to be cracked.
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