Learning curve for oil production and refinement

[WhiteZero]

Got my first from-scratch base built up over the past couple days. Pretty good red and green science pack assembly line going. Making steel bars, etc. But now I'm hitting a research/production wall where oil-based products are required: plastic, batteries, etc.

I've setup oil drilling on the couple spots in my base, but the refining process is kind of complicated and chemical processing seems to require a lot of different refined materials along with things like coal and water. Like to make plastic you need petroleum and coal. Refining petroleum is easy enough, but then I have light and heavy oil leftover that will quickly fill up storage tanks.

I think the learning curve at this point is extremely steep and I hope future versions can smooth that out.

[Deviator]

Turn your heavy oil and light oil into solid fuel for your smelters until you research the next level of oil processing then you can turn the heavy oil into light oil and light oil into petroleum.

[WhiteZero]

Turn your heavy oil and light oil into solid fuel for your smelters until you research the next level of oil processing then you can turn the heavy oil into light oil and light oil into petroleum.

Thanks, I didn't even think to try anything other than coal in my smelters. Though, I just got done modifying my production line to automatically feed coal into my smelters...

[goertzenator]

I think you've just summarized what makes Factorio brilliant. You finish a couple of important lines and think you've got the game mastered, then the game brings in new mechanics with new problems and you are a newbie all over again. If things didn't escalate you would be bored out of your skull in an hour. Expect several layers of new mechanics, problems, and discovery as you go along.

My first petrochemical industry was an utter disaster. It was slow and got bunged up all the time because of something filling up or running out. My next petrochemical industry was much better, but now my logistics system is a total wreck.

[WhiteZero]

I think you've just summarized what makes Factorio brilliant. You finish a couple of important lines and think you've got the game mastered, then the game brings in new mechanics with new problems and you are a newbie all over again. If things didn't escalate you would be bored out of your skull in an hour. Expect several layers of new mechanics, problems, and discovery as you go along.

My first petrochemical industry was an utter disaster. It was slow and got bunged up all the time because of something filling up or running out. My next petrochemical industry was much better, but now my logistics system is a total wreck.

Bringing in new mechanics throughout the game is great, of course. However, it's good game design to ease the player into these new mechanics and not feel totally overwhelmed.

[Saubermann]

So since the system ate my post here is it again.

You went from one of the hardest to build products in T2 instantly to the hardest one in T3 so I would expect to find a challenge. Try building flying robo frames, laser towers or accumulators first and you will find that's a nice progression.

[GewaltSam]

I got to oil for the first time in my current factory. I planned a lot of space for it, and i went with a block of 4x4 storage tanks for oil, and 2x2 storage tanks for heavy and light oil and petroleum (got that up to 3x4 or something a bit later in the game, though). Even if you can't split the oil, you got lots of storage for the ressources, so you should be fine. If something adds up, just put down more storage tanks. If you designate a large enough area for that, you got all the time in the world for building the rest of your infrastructure.

Also you don't need too many oil drills to start with. Start small and add as you need them.

[muzzy]

Ha! My first oil industry was a disaster too, I went into it right after I had gotten oil stuff researched and could only make solid fuel from all 3 oil types ... so I wasted my initial oil reserves making several steel chests full of solid fuel. I never managed to get rid of all of that!

Nowadays I try to simply avoid solid fuel, electric furnaces and solar power ASAP and peaceful times ahead...

[Zourin]

Yeah, first time can be a hassle. Don't build an oil industry until you have both refinement and fluid logistics. they are worthless without one another.

While you're building your oil infrastructure, begin researching plastics, then lubricants, then sulfur. Plastics are what you need to make the push for blue packs via advanced circuits, so it's a priority while you turn everything else into solid fuel. your refinement plant will need routine shipments of Engines (now free of lubricants), circuits, and coal to produce Plastic, Sulfur, Electric Engines, and Solid Fuel. Sulfuric acid, processors, batteries, and explosives can be produced anywhere else not immediately connected to your refinery (since sulfur is 'shippable')

Once you get blue packs set up, push for advanced refining for more petrol gas, and install (or activate) your 'crackers' to handle overflow levels.