What is oil called when it is extracted from the ground in its most natural state?

The term used to describe oil that is extracted from the ground in its most natural, unrefined state is crude oil. Crude oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and can vary significantly in its properties, such as viscosity and composition, depending on its source. It is a raw source of energy and materials that undergoes further processing and refining to produce fuels and other products, such as gasoline, diesel, and lubricating oils.

Refined oil refers to oil that has already gone through processing to separate components and remove impurities. Synthetic oil is a man-made lubricant designed from chemical compounds, typically derived from petroleum or other raw materials, and is engineered to achieve specific performance characteristics. Processing oil is not a commonly used term in the industry and typically does not refer to a specific type of oil.

Understanding that crude oil encompasses the raw, unrefined state is essential for grasping the entire petroleum production and refining cycle.