Name the refinery operation in which light fractions are removed from unstabilized crude or condensate to control vapor pressure and improve storage/transport safety.

Introduction:Some crude oils and condensates contain significant light ends (C1–C4, light naphtha) that raise Reid vapor pressure (RVP). A front-end operation removes these to make the stream safer to store and ship.Given Data / Assumptions:

• Objective: remove light fractions to reduce vapor pressure.
• Context: crude/condensate handling prior to further refining.

Concept / Approach:Stabilisation is a controlled flash/stripping operation that removes volatile components, lowering RVP and improving product stability for transport. It differs from conversion (visbreaking), impurity removal (sweetening), or water removal (dehydration).Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:Process flow diagrams show stabilizer columns upstream of storage/export for condensates and volatile crudes to meet RVP specs.Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Common Pitfalls:Equating “stabilisation” with general “treating”; here it specifically targets light ends and vapor pressure.Final Answer:Stabilisation