What Is Petrochemical? Benefits, Process, and the Products

In the global economy, the petrochemical industry has a crucial role in supporting the production of rubber, plastic, textiles, cosmetics, and others. The petrochemical industry processes natural gas and petroleum as materials for those sectors.

Then, what is petrochemical? This article discusses the ins and outs of petrochemicals and their products. Thus, read the information below until the end!

What Is Petrochemical?

Petrochemical is a chemical compound obtained from natural gas or petroleum. Petrochemicals are used to produce synthetic materials, rubbers, plastics, solvents, and many more.

Furthermore, petrochemicals are compounds produced by breaking down hydrocarbon molecules into smaller molecules. This compound began to be known in the early 20th century when scientists experimented to convert petroleum into products with utility.

This industry then developed in the United States in the 1920s with the emergence of petrochemical companies, such as Standard Oil Company and DuPont.

In the next decades, the petrochemical industry will spread globally and play an important role in the global economy. The development was more rapid during World War II thanks to the increasing demand for military needs.

Until recently, the petrochemical industry has contributed to many sectors and daily needs, such as cosmetics, fuels, plastics, and so on.

Why Is Petrochemical Important?

Now that you already know what petrochemical is, are you wondering why it is important? Petrochemical has become a vital sector in the world thanks to its role in various industries.

Moreover, most plastic products are made of natural gas and petroleum. During daily activities, you might encounter some materials, such as ethylene, propylene, benzene, methanol, and toluene. Also, petrochemical has various benefits, as follows:

Providing fuel, chemical components, and vehicle lubricants.
Facilitating plastic product manufacture.
Supporting the production of aircraft and their fuels.
Providing chemical raw materials for medicines and cosmetics productions.
Supporting renewable energy technologies, solar panels, and battery production.
Providing synthetic fibers for clothing production.
Providing chemicals for food processing and preservation.
Supporting the production of materials for pesticides.
Producing chemicals for alternative energy.

How Is Petrochemical Produced?

Most petrochemicals are made of petroleum and natural gas, and the rest are made of coal and biomass. These materials are processed in petrochemical plants and then used for processing and manufacturing other products.

The manufacturing process needs a lot of energy and involves the distillation phase (separating hydrocarbon from petroleum). Hydrocarbon is sent to another part of the plant, called crackers, to proceed to chemical raw materials.

Chemical raw materials, such as olefins, methanol, and aromatics, are used in the manufacturing process as basic materials. These three raw materials are the basic materials for making products, such as paper, plastic, adhesives, and others.

The basic chemical raw materials also have derivatives, such as vinyl acetate and ethylene glycol, which are used in the manufacture of paints and polyester clothing fibers.

Below are the petrochemical processes from raw materials to final products in order:

Chemical Raw Materials: Natural gas, butane, propane, ethane, naphtha, and condensate.
Basic Chemical Materials: Ethylene, propylene, butylene, butadiene, aromatic, ammonia, and methanol.
Derivative Chemical Materials: Styrene, ethylene glycol, isobutylene, acrylonitrile, and glycerin.
Manufacture Products: Industrial chemical materials, plastics, resins, coatings, rubbers, explosives, dyes, adhesives, and soaps.
Consumer Products: Clothes, packages, electronic components, vehicles, medicines, construction materials, furniture, and medical tools.

Petrochemical Products

As mentioned before, the petrochemical industry has produced various chemicals for other industries. Below are several products manufactured:

1. Olefins

Olefins are chemicals found in polypropylene (PP) and used to manufacture plastic products, such as plastic bags, plastic containers, plastic ropes, and many more.

2. Aromatic

Aromatic, like benzene and paraxylene, is a chemical found in plastic and nylon. You can find aromatic in various daily products, such as paints, detergents, plastic bottles, cosmetics, etc.

3. Agrochemical

Agrochemical is a product with several variants, like Tenac Sticker and TB-192. Tenac Sticker functions to stick pesticide liquids to be more effective. Besides, TB-192 is used to cover scratches on the pará rubber tree during rubber tapping.

4. Petroleum Coke

Petroleum coke is a petrochemical product used in aluminum processing and tin smelting. This material has a high carbon content and low ash content, so it can be used for iron smelting, cement production, and power generation.

5. Bitumen

Bitumen is a petrochemical product used to manufacture asphalt. Asphalt is used to coat roads and line embankments, become an insulating material, and become a mixed ingredient in coal briquettes.

6. Solvent

The solvent is a product that has several types, like LAWS 2&5 and SBO-XX 2. LAWS 2&5 is typically used for furnishing, painting, pesticide, and printing. Meanwhile, SBP-XX 2 is used to produce rubber, tire, and adhesive.

7. Processing Oil

Processing Oil like Paraffinic Oil 60 and 65, as well as Minarex–B, are used to support shoes, rubbers, tires, and other products.

Those are the information about what petrochemical is, their products, and the manufacturing process. In conclusion, petrochemicals have become one of the industries and materials needed to manufacture many products.

One of the petrochemical companies in Indonesia that also provides chemical raw materials is Chandra Asri Group. Chandra Asri Group operates the first and only naphtha cracker in Indonesia to produce primary raw materials, such as olefins, styrene monomers, polyolefins, and butadiene.

In 2024, Chandra Asri Group transformed into a leading infrastructure, chemical, and energy solutions company in Southeast Asia. Until now, Chandra Asri Group has served the manufacturing, petrochemical, chemical trading, synthetic rubber, and infrastructure asset management businesses.