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Q28 (IAS/2021) Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Conservation › Energy and emissions Official Key

With reference to furnace oil, consider the following statements : 1. It is a product of oil refineries. 2. Some industries use it to generate power. 3. Its use causes sulphur emissions into environment. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 4 (1, 2, and 3). Furnace oil, also known as fuel oil, is a dark, viscous residual product obtained during the distillation process in oil refineries (Statement 1).

Due to its high calorific value and cost-effectiveness, it is widely utilized in industrial sectors like cement, steel, and chemicals to generate power and heat for boilers and furnaces (Statement 2). However, furnace oil is characterized by high levels of nitrogen and sulphur. When combusted, it releases significant sulphur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter into the atmosphere, contributing to environmental pollution and acid rain (Statement 3).

  • Statement 1: Correct; it is the "bottom of the barrel" product after lighter fractions are distilled.
  • Statement 2: Correct; many heavy industries rely on it for captive power generation.
  • Statement 3: Correct; it is notoriously high in sulphur, often exceeding 2% concentration.
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. With reference to furnace oil, consider the following statements : 1. It is a product of oil refineries. 2. Some industries use it to g…
At a glance
Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 6.7/10 · 0/10
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This is a classic 'Applied Science' question disguised as Geography. It doesn't require a PhD in Chemical Engineering; it requires connecting Class X Science (Fossil fuels = Sulphur) with basic Industrial Geography (Refineries make fuel). If you know crude oil is dirty and refineries separate it, the answer flows logically.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is furnace oil produced by oil refineries?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 8: Energy Resources > Oil Refineries of India > p. 15
Strength: 5/5
“The oil refineries are the processing factories of crude-oil. The impurities from the crude oil are removed to obtain petroleum, diesel, kerosene, bitumen, and aviation fuel. Petroleum industry contributes over 15% of the GDP (2015–16). The main refineries of India, their year of commission and production capacity are given in (Fig. 8.5) (Table 8.6).”
Why relevant

Lists specific products produced by refineries (petroleum, diesel, kerosene, bitumen, aviation fuel), showing refineries separate crude into multiple fuel and hydrocarbon fractions.

How to extend

A student can note that refineries make a range of fuels and, using basic knowledge that 'furnace oil' is a heavy fuel oil fraction, infer it is plausibly one of those refinery products to verify.

NCERT. (2022). Contemporary India II: Textbook in Geography for Class X (Revised ed.). NCERT. > Chapter 5: Print Culture and the Modern World > Petroleum > p. 115
Strength: 4/5
“Petroleum or mineral oil is the next major energy source in India after coal. It provides fuel for heat and lighting, lubricants for machinery and raw materials for a number of manufacturing industries. Petroleum refineries act as a "nodal industry" for synthetic textile, fertiliser and numerous chemical industries. Most of the petroleum occurrences in India are associated with anticlines and fault traps in the rock formations of the tertiary age. In regions of folding, anticlines or domes, it occurs where oil is trapped in the crest of the upfold. The oil bearing layer is a porous limestone or sandstone through which oil may flow.”
Why relevant

Describes petroleum refineries as nodal industry producing fuels and feedstock for many uses, indicating refineries produce various fuel types from crude.

How to extend

Combine this with the fact that furnace oil is a fuel type to suspect it is produced at refineries and then check standard refinery product lists.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 8: Energy Resources > Pipelines > p. 14
Strength: 4/5
“Crude oil from oil-wells and finished products from refineries are generally transported through pipelines. Transportation of oil and petroleum through pipelines is cheap, effective, and considered to be safe. Looking at these advantages, a network of pipelines has been developed in India. Some of the important pipelines are as under:”
Why relevant

States that both crude oil and finished products from refineries are transported through pipelines, implying refineries output 'finished' fuel products ready for distribution.

How to extend

A student could use this to reason that common distributed fuels (including furnace oil if distributed similarly) originate at refineries and are piped to users or storage.

INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Mineral and Energy Resources > Iron Ore > p. 59
Strength: 3/5
“Mumbai High which lies 160 km off Mumbai was discovered in 1973 and production commenced in 1976. Oil and natural gas have been found in exploratory wells in Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basin on the east coast. Oil extracted from the wells is crude oil and contains many impurities. It cannot be used directly. It needs to be refined. There are two types of refineries in India: (a) field-based and (b) market-based. Digboi is an example of fieldbased and Barauni is an example of marketbased refinery.”
Why relevant

Explains crude oil cannot be used directly and 'needs to be refined', and gives examples of refinery types, reinforcing that refining yields usable fuel products.

How to extend

Using the general rule that refining converts crude into usable fuels, a student can look up where heavy fuel oils fit in refinery output to assess whether furnace oil is included.

Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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