Chemical and Petrochemical Industry
The chemical and petrochemical industry is a branch of industry that deals with the production, processing and use of chemicals. This industry operates in a wide range of areas, from the production of various chemical products to petrochemical products, from pharmaceuticals to plastics.
What is petrochemistry?
People say “petrochemical“ When they hear the term plastic or other oil derivative products or petroleum-based solvents used in painting and coating. Petrochemicals in the scientific sense They are chemical compounds made from oil, natural gas, coal and other sources. The majority of petrochemicals but it is derived from oil or natural gas. Oil and natural gas are used as main raw materials.
How is it produced?
Most petrochemicals are produced at high temperatures (above 815 oC) and pressure. It is produced under (above 70 bar). The process requires a large amount of energy and advanced engineering.
Energy consumption due to extreme operating conditions constitutes a significant part of the total production cost. As energy costs increase, so does the cost of doing business.
Main Petrochemicals and Derivatives
Petrochemicals, also called petroleum distillates, are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds are made from petroleum, It can also be obtained from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas or from renewable resources such as corn and sugar cane.
The most common classes of petrochemicals are olefins (ethylene and propylene) and aromatics (benzene, toluene, and xylene isomers). Oil refineries produce olefins and aromatics by liquid catalytic cracking of petroleum fractions.
Production of olefins in chemical plants; vapor cracking of natural gas liquids such as ethane and propane; Aromatics are produced by the catalytic reformation of naphtha.
Olefins and aromatics form the building blocks of most materials such as solvents, detergents and adhesives. Also in plastics, resins, fibres, lubricants and gels It is basic.
The highest production volume in the petrochemical industry is organic chemicals with methanol, ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, toluene and xylene.
