Factorio

Factorio

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Your first circuit network - Oil Processing for dummies
By BraidCutter
Had some trouble managing Oil processing finally figured out the one-size-fits all solution.
   
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If someone else hasn't pointed this out already. Didn't see any guides outline this.
Need:
Advanced Oil Processing
Circuit Network
Fluid Handling
(They all happen around the same time, but some need blue science so you will have make a proto oil plant to get it.)

Things to note:
Chances are you will either have all the tanks full or all tanks empty. In the event of only 1 empty tank chances are it is due to not enough Oil (Get more wells / pumpjacks) or not enough refineries expand the manifold and increase crackers accordingly.

Also you need 2.5 plants making Sulfur for every plant making Sulfuric-Acid. But that would mean you are using a whole lot of sulfur and sulfric acid, doubtful, but... if you find yourself low on Acid bring yourself up the correct ratio before making more acid plants. Again 2.5 Sulfur plants per Acid Plant (and round up)

FYI. My ratio for advanced processing:cracking is
0.25 Heavy Cracking per refinery, and 1.5 Light Cracking per

This is not based on how much each cracking plant produces but how much each cracking plant uses as they will pull from the tanks product you are not using enough of, at the speed that will keep your refineries busy.

Also note if you use Light Oil for Solid Fuel(as you should be), you will probably need alot less Light Cracking. The advantage of this design is that circuit network will figure that out for you on the fly.

Version 2.0

Alright, redesigned the Oil Plant for better Blue Print / Contruction Drone expansion. In so doing I noticed a couple things that where not perfect.

Changes to previous version:
#1 Only one Smart Inserter for sulfur into Acid would only match pace with Sulfur plant with stack size and bucket chain. Using 3 Smart Inserters and belt more electrically demanding then pump, so changed to 3 Blue Inserters and put a pump on output. Then took it off because of #2.

#2.
Pumps are now used to control process output loops rather then input. The Smart Inserter has been moved to Iron input for Acid. (Green Arrows)

The reason is the pumps not only move fluid at a rate of 30 units/sec when active. They also LIMIT natural flow even when on. So the MOST a pump can/will move is 30 units/sec

My old design with pumps on Inputs would limit process loops to:
37.5 Heavy Crackers on loop
50 Light Crackers on loop

With Pumps on loop ouput theoretical limit is 50 Heavy Crackers / 75 Light Crackers
Also having Pumps shut off the loop's output feels more elegant.

For Acid realized 3 Smart Inserters to push the Sulfur per Acid plant costs more then a pump in Electrons . And that the Pump can't keep up with as few as 7 Acid plants. Made the Sulfur inserters Blue, and used the Smart inserter for Iron which needs only a Blue to keep pace.

Lube is a 30 building limit coming or going.

#3.
The reason for the overhaul. Stetched out each building's spacing to allow for easy (if not space efficient) Blue Print / Drone Contrsuction. In the picture you can see the inputs of oil water and Iron. As well as the Oil Facilities output
Lube for Electric Engines and Express Parts
Heavy for Flame Fuel
Light for Flame Fuel, and Solid Fuel
Petrol Gas for Plastic
Sulfur for Explosives
Acid for Batteries and Blue Circuits

For dropping Blueprints, I made the blueprint squares have the same row top and bottom, to make lining them up easier. When your top row has green objects that are already in place you are in the right spot.

Also brought along power and Circuit network automatically for Acid.

11 Comments
Engi 27 Mar, 2020 @ 4:30am 
If you have the space, a train system can do a good job for spacing out the system.
Sly-Scale 10 Apr, 2016 @ 3:51pm 
Circuit Network huh. Well that's a step in the right direction for me. Right now, I'm stuck simply putting crafting stations in the right order and allowing for enough space to re-arrange things as needed.
Blako 7 Apr, 2016 @ 4:09am 
Also on Apr 1, I posted a picture of my first circuit network, which controled when to crack the oil. http://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=657512052
shift-left normalist 6 Apr, 2016 @ 1:48pm 
never mind
shift-left normalist 6 Apr, 2016 @ 1:47pm 
set up oil thingey but not producing anything?????
BeanSlinger419 3 Apr, 2016 @ 3:08pm 
k braidcutter
Flying-Phoenix 3 Apr, 2016 @ 6:04am 
thanks
BraidCutter  [author] 2 Apr, 2016 @ 5:27pm 
bobby, guide mentions that. The intention of the this guide is to show the usefulness of the circuit network in managing complex and variable production on a small-ish scale. My first big factory I was forever babysitting tanks, and crackers that would drain something I needed (Heavy for lube, Light for what would become rocket fuel, and that ever-present demand for more Petrol)

I would have my factory come grinding to a halt because one tank was full while another empty. The "head" of this oil production facility controls for that, while allowing expandibilty. I keep seeing people (in videos) dropping like half a dozen tanks to hold Heavy/Light Oil while they have cracking facilities running. If they have Fluid Handling / Advanced Processing, getting Circuit Networks is a level easier tech and all that missing is the knowledge of what it can do for you.
BraidCutter  [author] 2 Apr, 2016 @ 5:07pm 
awseomenathan, Build 2.5 Sulfurs for every acid you need (Round up). You will need atleast 5 Refineries for every 3 sulfur and the cracking facilities to support them as described.
Flying-Phoenix 2 Apr, 2016 @ 11:06am 
im having troble with the sulfiric acid i need them battarys man