Objective of cracking operations: In refinery conversion, the primary purpose of cracking heavy fractions is to maximize the yield of which target product range?

Introduction / Context:
Cracking processes (thermal and catalytic) split large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, more valuable products. The economic driver historically has been to increase gasoline production, given its demand in transport markets.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Feedstocks: gas oils and residues.
• Processes: FCC, hydrocracking, visbreaking/coking (for severity control).
• Target pool economics prioritize light liquids (C5+ gasoline range).

Concept / Approach:
Fluid catalytic cracking and hydrocracking are specifically designed to maximize gasoline and middle distillates from heavier feeds. While coke and gases are by-products, they are not the main objective; lubricant base oils and petrolatum are produced in separate lube processing schemes, not by cracking severity aimed at gasoline.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Unit performance KPIs for FCC include conversion to gasoline and light cycle oil, with coke minimized to protect catalyst and heat balance, confirming the main aim.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Common Pitfalls:
Equating high conversion with success even when coke increases; the goal is liquid yield and gasoline quality, not coke production.

Final Answer:
gasoline