Petrochemicals are contained in 95% of manufactured goods and are essential materials for a sustainable future. The document is a flowchart that traces the path from raw materials like crude oil, natural gas, and bio-naphtha to everyday petrochemical products and their uses. It shows the production processes like steam cracking, catalytic reforming, and processing to produce materials like ethylene, propylene, and aromatics. These are then used to make derivatives and end products for applications like automotive, packaging, construction, and more. The petrochemical industry is working towards more sustainable production through projects involving carbon capture and storage.

1. PETROCHEMICALS ARE CONTAINED IN 95% OF ALL MANUFACTURED GOODS
Essential materials for a sustainable future
www.petrochemistry.eu
BIO NAPHTHA CRUDE OIL
PROPANE/LPG
NATURAL GAS
OLEFINS
Propylene
Ethylbenzene Acrylonitrile
Styrene
Ethyl
acrylate
Acrylate
elastomers
Synthetic
rubbers
Ethyl
acetate
Solvents
Ethyl
amines
Polyesters
PVC plastics
Superabsorbents MMA Isophorone
Solvents
PMMA
Polyester
resins
Propylene
glycol ether
acetates
Polyurethane
Vinyl acetate
monomer
Plastics
Vinyl chloride
monomer
Polyacrylate Acetone
Isopropyl
acetate
(Mono)
Propylene
glycol
Propylene
glycol ethers
Polyols
Propylene
Glycols
(di-, tri-, …)
Acetic acid
(Mono)
ethylene glycol
Ethanolamines
Phenol
Ethyl
hexanol
Plasticisers
n-Butanol Isobutanol Acrylic acid
Acrylic
esters
Isobutyl
acetate
n-Butylacetate
Solvents
Acetone
Phenolic resins MMA
PMMA
Bisphenol A
Polycarbonate
Epoxy
resin
Solvents
Ethylene
dichloride
Acrylic acid Isopropanol
Propylene oxide
Acetaldehyde
Polyethylenes
(LDPE, HDPE,
LLDPE)
Polypropylene
Ethylene oxide Cumene
Butyraldehyde
Ethyl alcohol
Polystyrene
plastics
ABS, SAN
plastics
SBR
synthetic
rubber
SAN
plastics
Unsaturated
polyesters
ABS
plastics
MEA
DEA
TEA
Ethylene glycol
ethers
Solvents
Ethylene
glycol ethers
acetates
Diethylene
glycol
Solvents
Food
packaging
Clothes,
PET bottles
Automotive,
luggage
Automotive
Glass
reinforced
plastics
Consumer
electronics
Medical
equipment
Detergents
Agro-
chemicals
Engine
coolant
Coatings,
adhesives,
inks, detergents,
pharmaceuticals,
chemical
synthesis
Footwear,
tyres
Paper
Electric &
electronic
appliances
Adhesives
Solar
panels
NBR
Nitrite
synthetic
rubber
Polyisobutylene
SBR
Styrene
butadiene
rubber
Butyl
rubbers
MTBE
(Fuel
ether)
Higher olefins
Butadiene
Isobutylene
n-Butenes
Automotive
Gardening
implements
Engine
lubricants
Chewing
gum
Detergents,
agrochemicals
Fuel
C4 stream
NAPHTHA
BIO ETHANOL
ETHANE
CO2 +
HYDROGEN
STEAM CRACKING CATALYTIC REFORMING
PROCESSING
ASSOCIATED GASES
NGLs
STEAM CRACKING STEAM CRACKING
PROPANE DEHYDROGENATION
Ethylene
Alkylbenzene
MDI
Methyl diphenyl diisocyanate
Surfactants
Polyurethane Polyester Plasticisers
Flexible PVC
ABS/SAN
Unsaturated
polyester
SBR - Styrene
butadiene
rubber
TDI
Toluene
diisocyanate
Paraxylene Orthoxylene
Solvents
Electrics &
electronics
Automotive
Food
packaging
Detergents
Sports
equipment
Pharma-
ceuticals
Furniture
Polystyrene
plastics
Styrene
Cyclohexane
Nylon
Ethylbenzene
Coatings, inks,
adhesives for
professional use,
chemical
processing
Sports
equipment
Textile
Building &
construction
Phenol Acetone
Phenolic resins MMA
PMMA
Bisphenol A
Polycarbonate
Epoxy
resin
Solvents
Cumene
AROMATICS
Benzene Toluene Xylenes
Pygas
Methyl
methacrylate
(MMA)
Methyl
methacrylate
(MMA)
Polymethyl methacrylate
(PMMA)
Chemical intermediates
Phenolic
resins
Poly-
urethane
Formaldehyde
MTBE, TAME
(Fuel ethers)
Fuel
Thermal
insulation
Home
furnishings,
sports
equipment
Building &
construction
Methanol
Polyacrylamide
Carbon
fibres
Acrylic
fibres
NBR
Synthetic
rubber
Food
packaging
Disposable
nappies
Automotive
Sports
equipment
Marine
industry,
bathware
Engine
coolant
Food,
pharma-
ceuticals,
cosmetics
Unbreakable
glass
Sportswear
Kitchen
appliances
Coatings,
adhesives, inks,
detergents,
pharmaceuticals,
chemical
synthesis
Paints,
coatings,
textile,
adhesives
Acrylic
paints
Unbreakable
glass
Printing
inks, paints,
lacquers,
adhesives
Electric &
electronic
appliances
Construction
Furniture
Wind
turbines
Water
treatment
Textile
2023 version 1
PYROLYSIS OIL,
CHEMICAL
RECYCLING
BIO METHANE
METHANE
REFINING

2. Flowchart poster
Discover the path
from raw materials
to everyday products
Essential materials for a sustainable future
Essential materials for a sustainable future
www.petrochemistry.eu
Discover the world of petrochemicals
The advances of chemistry depend
on products such as ethylene,
propylene, butadiene and benzene.
These are the raw materials of the
petrochemical industry, which turns
them into products used in 95 % of all
manufactured goods.
Petrochemicals enhance product
lifecycles and increase the durability,
flexibility and convenience of products,
making materials more lightweight
and efficient. Such innovations may
be found in renewable energy, such as
windmills and solar panels, insulation
materials, healthcare, protection and
safety, long lasting infrastructures used
in construction and many more.
The Petrochemicals Europe flowchart
traces the main steps from raw
materials and feedstocks through
to petrochemical products, their
derivatives and everyday products.
Only a few of these are featured here,
along with their end applications,
as they are too numerous and their
processes too complex.
But there is much more to
petrochemicals.
Visit www.petrochemistry.eu,
the gateway to the world of
petrochemicals online. And take a tour
of our interactive flowchart on
www.petrochemistry.eu/flowchart.
Choose and click on the petrochemical
product of your choice and its
derivatives to find your way on the
path from raw materials to everyday
products.
We’ll be happy to send you additonal
copies of this flowchart and receive
your feedback or answer your
questions.
Petrochemicals Europe
c/o Cefic
Tel. +32 2 436 94 81
info@petrochemistry.eu
Petrochemicals industry on its journey
towards sustainable future
How are petrochemical companies bringing innovation to their
industrial processes today? What is the future of Europe’s
most energy-efficient and technologically advanced chemical
complexes?
Learn more with concrete examples shown on our website
www.petrochemistry.eu:
> Consortium “Cracker of the future”
> BASF, Sabic, Linde “Cracker Electrification Pact”
> INEOS “Project One”
> PKN ORLEN new Olefins Complex III Cracker
> And more
Infrastructure & collaboration are
essential for innovation: Petrochemicals
companies work together on projects of
common interest
>
Port of Rotterdam, project Porthos: aims to collect emissions
from multiple factories and refineries and storing them in empty
gas fields in the North Sea;
Port of Antwerp, Project Antwerp@C: 7 leading chemical and
energy companies to investigate the technical and economic
feasibility of building CO₂ infrastructure to keep CO₂ out of the
atmosphere by capturing, utilising or storing it;
More Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects: Kairos@C,
Belgium/Netherlands/Norway; SHARC, Finland; Greensand,
Denmark; etc.
The flowchart has been produced by Petrochemicals Europe, the voice of the European petrochemical
industry. Petrochemicals Europe is an essential forum for anybody with an interest in our industry,
ie regulators, legislators, press, scientific and educational communities, financial experts and consumers’
organisations. Petrochemicals Europe brings together about 70 member companies and is part of Cefic,
the European Chemical Industry Council.
@EUPetro
WE BUILD THE FUTURE
PETROCHEMICALS ARE CONTAINED IN
95% OF ALL MANUFACTURED GOODS
https://www.linkedin.com/
company/petrochemicals-europe/