World War 2 created a driving force to improve the production of gasoline. The age of thermal refining could not produce the high octane gasoline needed for airplanes during the War. Another process that could meet the demand for the high octane aviation fuel had to be developed. Catalytic cracking was developed to meet this demand. This process required a completely different plant then that of the thermal age. After the war the improved octane gasoline that was being manufactured allowed car manufacturers to build bigger more powerful engines to burn this higher grade fuel.

World War 2 was the catalyst needed to drive companies to develop new and improved refining technologies. There were several principle processes that were developed during the catalytic refining period. Heavy fuel oil that was being used for trains was now obsolete because diesel was now the main fuel for trains. The loss of this outlet for heavy fuel oil forced refineries to further break down this product. The processes such as solvent deasphalting and visbreaking were needed to increase production. Hydrogen was now a product of production and could be use for the process known as hydrotreating. The kerosene market made a comeback and was now used to produce jet fuel after high octane aviation became obsolete. World War 2 forced companies to improve there refinery processes that lead to the catalytic refinery.

https://cms.psu.edu/section/content/default.asp?WCI=pgDisplay&WCU=CRSCNT&ENTRY_ID=F0DEC0D639B24F22BFD9F7D5924181EC