ABSTRACT
The constant demand for products such as liquid fuels is the main driving force behind the petroleum industry. Indeed, fuel products-for example, gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel-are the prime products of the current era. In addition, other products, such as lubricating oils, waxes, and asphalt, have also added to the popularity of petroleum as an important resource. Petroleum products are the basic materials used for the manufacture of synthetic fibers for clothing and in plastics, paints, fertilizers, insecticides, soaps, and synthetic rubber. In fact, the use of petroleum as a source of raw material in manufacturing is central to the functioning of modern industry (Speight and Ozum 2002; Hsu and Robinson 2006; Gary et al. 2007; Speight 2014).
