The petrochemical industry

Overview of the Chemical Petrochemicals
Industry:
Petrochemicals are chemicals made from

petroleum (crude oil) and natural gas. Petroleum
and natural gas are made up of hydrocarbon
molecules, which are comprised of one or more
carbon atoms, to which hydrogen atoms are
attached.
Currently, oil and gas are the main sources of
the raw materials because they are the least
expensive, most readily available, and can be
processed most easily into the primary
petrochemicals.
Only about five percent of the oil and gas
consumed each year is needed to make all the
petrochemical products.
Petrochemicals have had a dramatic impact on
our food, clothing, shelter and leisure. Some
synthetics, tailored for particular uses, actually
perform better than products made by nature
because of their unique properties.
Primary Petrochemicals:
"Primary Petrochemicals" include: olefins
(ethylene, propylene and butadiene) aromatics
(benzene, toluene, and xylenes); and methanol.
Olefins are unsaturated molecules of carbon (C)
and hydrogen (H) that appear as short chains, of
two, three or four carbons in length.
Aromatics contain a six carbon ring structure.
The oxygen/hydrogen (OH) group in methanol
denotes that it is an alcohol.
Intermediates and Derivatives:
Petrochemical intermediates are generally
produced by chemical conversion of primary
petrochemicals to form more complicated
derivative products.
Petrochemical derivative products can be made
in a variety of ways: directly from primary
petrochemicals; through intermediate products
which still contain only carbon and hydrogen;
and, through intermediates which incorporate
chlorine, nitrogen or oxygen in the finished
derivative. In some cases, they are finished
products; in others, more steps are needed to
arrive at the desired composition.
Of all the processes used, one of the most
important is polymerization. It is used in the
production of plastics, fibers and synthetic
rubber, the main finished petrochemical
derivatives.
Some typical petrochemical intermediates are:
vinyl acetate for paint, paper and textile coatings
vinyl chloride for polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
resin manufacture
ethylene glycol for polyester textile fibers
styrene which is important in rubber and plastic
manufacturing.
Major End Use Products:
Some typical petrochemical intermediates are:
- vinyl acetate for paint, paper and textile
coatings vinyl chloride for
- polyvinyl chloride PVC)
- resin manufacture
- ethylene glycol for polyester - textile fibers
- styrene which is important in rubber and plastic
manufacturing.

.... Victor adimchinaobi onwosi