page_title: Petrochemical
section_title: Olefins
hierarchical_section_title: Petrochemical / Olefins
caption_attribution_description: A diagram of the petrochemicals produced from ethylene.
context_page_description: Petrochemicals are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as maize, palm fruit or sugar cane.
  The two most common petrochemical classes are olefins and aromatics.
  Oil refineries produce olefins and aromatics by fluid catalytic cracking of petroleum fractions. Chemical plants produce olefins by steam cracking of natural gas liquids like ethane and propane. Aromatics are produced by catalytic reforming of naphtha. Olefins and aromatics are the building-blocks for a wide range of materials such as solvents, detergents, and adhesives. Olefins are the basis for polymers and oligomers used in plastics, resins, fibers, elastomers, lubricants, and gels.
  Global ethylene and propylene production are about 115 million tonnes and 70 million tonnes per annum, respectively. Aromatics production is approximately 70 million tonnes. The largest petrochemical industries are located in the USA and Western Europe; however, major growth in new production capacity is in the Middle East and Asia.
context_section_description: The following is a partial list of the major commercial petrochemicals and their derivatives:
  ethylene – the simplest olefin; used as a chemical feedstock and ripening stimulant
  polyethylene – polymerized ethylene; LDPE, HDPE, LLDPE
  ethanol – via ethylene hydration (chemical reaction adding water) of ethylene
  ethylene oxide – via ethylene oxidation
  ethylene glycol – via ethylene oxide hydration
  engine coolant – ethylene glycol, water and inhibitor mixture
  polyesters – any of several polymers with ester linkages in the main chain
  glycol ethers – via glycol condescension
  ethoxylates
  vinyl acetate
  1,2-dichloroethane
  trichloroethylene
  tetrachloroethylene – also called perchloroethylene; used as a dry cleaning solvent and degreaser
  vinyl chloride – monomer for polyvinyl chloride
  polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – type of plastic used for piping, tubing, other things
  propylene – used as a monomer and a chemical feedstock
  isopropyl alcohol – 2-propanol; often used as a solvent or rubbing alcohol
  acrylonitrile – useful as a monomer in forming Orlon, ABS
  polypropylene – polymerized propylene
  propylene oxide 
  polyether polyol – used in the production of polyurethanes
  propylene glycol – used in engine coolant and aircraft deicer fluid
  glycol ethers – from condensation of glycols
  acrylic acid 
  acrylic polymers
  allyl chloride –
  epichlorohydrin – chloro-oxirane; used in epoxy resin formation
  epoxy resins – a type of polymerizing glue from bisphenol A, epichlorohydrin, and some amine
  Butene
  isomers of butylene – useful as monomers or co-monomers
  isobutylene – feed for making methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) or monomer for copolymerization with a low percentage of isoprene to make butyl rubber
  1,3-butadiene (or buta-1,3-diene) – a diene often used as a monomer or co-monomer for polymerization to elastomers such as polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene rubber, or a plastic such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)
  synthetic rubbers – synthetic elastomers made of any one or more of several petrochemical (usually) monomers such as 1,3-butadiene, styrene, isobutylene, isoprene, chloroprene; elastomeric polymers are often made with a high percentage of conjugated diene monomers such as 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, or chloroprene
  higher olefins
  polyolefins such poly-alpha-olefins, which are used as lubricants
  alpha-olefins – used as monomers, co-monomers, and other chemical precursors.  For example, a small amount of 1-hexene can be copolymerized with ethylene into a more flexible form of polyethylene.
  other higher olefins
  detergent alcohols
caption: Chemicals produced from ethylene
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