Asphalt, sometimes referred to as bitumen, is a viscous chain of hydrocarbons occurring naturally or as a byproduct of crude oil distillation. This sticky, semi-solid substance can be made up of many different compounds including metals, sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen. It is used for paving, roofing, paint, waterproofing, and other applications. Because only 10-15% of crude oils can be used to produce asphalt, refineries must consider several factors when refining asphalt such as the blend of crude oil used, the refining method, and which additives should be used. The asphalt training course defines what asphalt is. It discusses the refining process and identifies the applications for different grades of asphalt. This online training course covers asphalt characteristics and asphalt refining process. Asphalt is part of the Refinery Operations training series.