Separation occurs at the beginning of the process and following all of the other conversion and treatment processes. Separation is also used to remove oil from wastewater before it is discharged, and to separate gasoline vapors from the air at truck and rail loading.

• Cracking
• Combining
• Reforming

In addition, there are tanks to store the products and raw materials, units to load the products into trucks, rail cars and barges, and utility operations, such as a steam system, water supply systems and wastewater and waste management systems. Tanks store crude oil, intermediate streams, and final liquid products, including asphalt, which is stored as a liquid at over 250 º F, and sulfur, which is stored as molten sulfur at temperatures over 280 º F.

FHR loads all products, except petroleum coke, as liquids into trucks, rail cars and barges. FHR uses only double-hulled barges, mostly for asphalt and heavy fuel oils that will set up as they cool, and which will pose less risk to the river.

Steam is produced in boilers and process heaters. A series of pipes carries this steam throughout the refinery, where processes use it to fine-tune the temperature of the process, to operate pumps, and for fire protection. Most of the water that condenses out after the steam is used is recycled back to the boilers and heaters. Before water is used to make steam, it must be very clean to prevent solids from settling out in process equipment and boilers. FHR uses reverse osmosis, ion exchange and de-aeration to produce very clean boiler feedwater.

• cooling water system, where water is treated to remove solids and iron and where phosphorus is added to reduce corrosion.
• potable water system, where water is chlorinated and tested to be safe to drink.
• stormwater system, which collects rain water and snow melt from around the refinery. The first "flush" of stormwater is captured and treated at the wastewater treatment plant. The remainder is stored in large basins for fire fighting or discharged to the river.
• firewater system, which uses storm water and other well water to be ready to fight fires.
• process wastewater system, which collects water that has been in contact with the oil, and routes it to the wastewater plant for treatment.

Refinery units need to have scheduled down time for routine maintenance and equipment upgrades, and such a period is called a turnaround (T/A). Typically, at Pine Bend there are 1-2 T/A's scheduled per year.

More information can be found at the DOE and EPA Web sites.