Origin of “natural gasoline”: Natural gasoline is best described as being produced by which of the following routes?

Introduction / Context:
The term “natural gasoline” refers to liquid hydrocarbons (mainly C5+) recovered from natural gas through field separation or gas plant processing. It is distinct from finished gasoline made in refineries and from LNG/LPG products.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Feed is wet natural gas with heavier hydrocarbons.
• Processing involves cooling, compression, expansion, and fractionation.
• End product is a condensate/natural gasoline stream suitable for blending.

Concept / Approach:
By lowering temperature and/or increasing pressure, heavier hydrocarbons condense and can be separated as a pentanes-plus liquid. This condensed liquid is called natural gasoline. It is not the same as refinery reformate or polymer gasoline and is not simply “a distillate from an oil well” in the refining sense, though it may be produced at or near well sites.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Gas plant flowsheets (e.g., NGL recovery) routinely show a natural gasoline/pentanes-plus product stream sent to storage or refinery blending.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Common Pitfalls:
Equating the word “gasoline” with only refinery-made motor fuel; natural gasoline is a specific gas-plant liquid stream.

Final Answer:
by natural gas stripping/condensation of C5+ (pentanes-plus) from gas streams