Petroleum fuels like gasoline and diesel are produced from crude oil through fractional distillation and additional refining processes. Gasoline has a lower boiling point than diesel and is used in spark-ignited engines. Diesel has a higher boiling point and is used in compression-ignition engines where the heat of compression ignites the fuel. Fuel properties like octane number, cetane number, and autoignition temperature determine their suitability for different engine types and affect combustion characteristics like knocking. Additives are used to improve fuel properties.