crude oil

noun
1.
petroleum as it comes from the ground, before refining.
Also called crude, crude petroleum.
Origin of crude oil
1860-65
Examples from the web for crude oil
  • The process can yield crude oil without the contaminating sulfur that much petroleum out of the ground contains.
  • Also called crude oil petroleum field: noun: geographic area whose rock strata contain oil or gas.
  • It has also been investing in refining, since the export tax on petrol and diesel is lower than that on crude oil.
  • Ground-water contamination by crude oil, and other petroleum-based liquids, is a widespread problem.
  • Petroleum crude oil is by far the largest source of toluene.
  • Higher crude oil prices countered declining oil production and led to higher budgetary and export receipts.
  • We are working to commercialize technology that can make liquid transportation fuels from natural gas instead of crude oil.
  • It could compete with regular crude oil without subsidies.
  • The ocean is home to many groups of bacteria that can break down the chemicals found in crude oil.
  • Each natural gas well produces millions of gallons of wastewater that can be contaminated with salt, chemicals and crude oil.
British Dictionary definitions for crude oil

crude oil

noun
1.
petroleum before it has been refined
crude oil in Science
crude oil
  (krd)   
Unrefined petroleum.