1. A refining process in which heavy petroleum fractions are broken down into lighter, more useful products (such as gasoline and diesel) using hydrogen and a catalyst under high temperature and pressure.
Usage: technical; petroleum industry

Examples

• Hydrocracking is essential for converting crude oil into valuable fuels.
• The refinery uses hydrocracking to improve the yield of gasoline from heavy crude.
• Modern hydrocracking units can process a wide range of feedstocks.
• Hydrocracking requires careful control of temperature, pressure, and hydrogen flow.
• The hydrocracking process produces lighter hydrocarbons suitable for transportation fuels.