Crude oil is mainly composed of hydrocarbons, though it also contains some nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen. They are characterized by hydrocarbon compound type. The common ones include paraffins (the major constituents of gasoline [petrol]), naphthenes (liquid refinery products and heavy asphaltlike residues), aromatics (the most common being benzene), and asphaltene hydrocarbons (which are found in refining residues and make up the bulk of hydrocarbons in asphalt, bitumen, and tar).
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