ABSTRACT
Chemical industries utilize large amounts of fossil materials, both as a basis for the carbon structure of the compounds and as a source of energy for conversion processes. Chemical and energy industries are thus linked. Currently, chemical industries process crude oil into a few base fractions; crude oil is cracked into naphtha and this is converted into a few platform chemicals from which all the major bulk chemicals are derived. Ethylene is produced in millions of tonnes per annum and is converted into various chemicals such as ethylene oxide and vinyl chloride, as well as being used for the synthesis of polyethylene (PE). Propylene, benzene and alkyl benzenes are also obtained from naphtha, and these subsequently act as platforms from which other chemicals such as propylene oxide, acrylonitrile and styrene are derived.
