In this blog post, we’ll explore the principles and value of the petrochemical industry that sustains our daily lives, as well as how oil is transformed into a core material for various industries.
What would happen if the modes of transportation, clothing, cell phones, TVs, computers, and plastics we use in our daily lives were to disappear? Even if only a few of these items were gone, we would have to walk long distances or rely on animals like horses to get around. Without plastic, we wouldn’t even be able to use basic packaging materials or storage containers, and electronic devices containing plastic would also become difficult to use. Instead, we would have to replace them through complex processes of processing and refining natural resources. Furthermore, it would be difficult to use various network-based services in their current forms; we would have to make our own fabrics using looms and spinning machines, and we would lead an inconvenient life where it would be difficult to communicate our thoughts without meeting people face-to-face. Behind the countless products that sustain our daily lives lies petrochemical technology.
Petrochemicals are the core technology that makes the things so important to us—such as transportation, clothing, cell phones, TVs, computers, and plastics—possible. Many people think that petroleum is used only as fuel for cars, but in reality, it serves as the raw material for countless products we use in our daily lives. Petrochemicals are so deeply embedded in our lives that there is even a saying: “About 70% of the human body is water, and a significant portion of the household goods we use are made of petrochemical products.” Now, let’s take a closer look at the world of petrochemicals, one step at a time.
Simply put, the petrochemical industry uses petroleum products or natural gas as raw materials to produce synthetic resins (plastics), synthetic fibers (polyester, nylon), synthetic rubber, and various basic chemical products. To do this, crude oil must first be separated into various petroleum products. Since the components of crude oil have different boiling points, they are separated through a fractional distillation process into liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), gasoline, naphtha, jet fuel, kerosene, diesel, lubricating oil, heavy oil, and asphalt. Among these, naphtha is the most important feedstock for the petrochemical industry. In petrochemical complexes around the world, including those in South Korea, naphtha is used as the primary feedstock to produce a wide range of chemical products. So, what process does naphtha undergo to be transformed into various materials such as plastics and fibers?
Naphtha is the most important starting material for manufacturing petrochemical products. First, when naphtha is thermally cracked at very high temperatures, various hydrocarbons are produced. Subsequently, through rapid cooling, compression, and purification processes, various basic petrochemicals—such as ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, toluene, and xylene—are separated. Ethylene and propylene serve as the most critical basic raw materials in the petrochemical industry, and these substances, in turn, undergo various chemical reactions to produce numerous intermediate materials.
These basic petroleum products are then utilized in various ways. Ethylene is converted into polyethylene through polymerization, serving as a raw material for plastic bags, food packaging, and household containers, while propylene is converted into polypropylene and used in automotive parts, home appliances, and medical supplies. Furthermore, reacting ethylene with benzene produces styrene, which, when polymerized, becomes polystyrene—a raw material for disposable containers and insulation. In addition, these basic petrochemicals react with one another or undergo various chemical processes to create numerous petrochemical products, such as synthetic fibers, synthetic rubber, engineering plastics, and functional chemical materials. A significant portion of the household goods, electronic devices, automobiles, medical devices, and construction materials we use every day are produced through these processes.
The petrochemical industry means much more than simply manufacturing products necessary for daily life. First, from an economic perspective, it is an industry that generates very high added value. Naphtha, obtained by refining crude oil, is converted into high-value-added products such as plastics, synthetic fibers, and advanced materials through various chemical processes. In the past, some analyses indicated that the price difference between crude oil and the final product was as high as 70 times; even today, the petrochemical industry is recognized as a leading high-value-added sector that significantly enhances the value of raw materials.
Furthermore, the petrochemical industry not only supplies core materials to traditional manufacturing sectors such as steel, automotive, shipbuilding, and electronics but also plays a vital foundational role in industries including information technology (IT), biotechnology (BT), nanotechnology (NT), semiconductors, rechargeable batteries, and eco-friendly materials. Recently, with the growing emphasis on carbon neutrality and the circular economy, there has been active development of technologies to enhance sustainability, such as bio-based raw materials, plastic recycling technologies, chemical recycling, and eco-friendly petrochemical processes.
From an environmental perspective, the petrochemical industry cannot be viewed merely as a resource-consuming sector. By efficiently utilizing raw materials such as naphtha to produce various materials, it helps reduce the use of other natural resources like metals and wood; furthermore, lightweight plastic materials reduce the weight of automobiles and aircraft, thereby contributing to improved energy efficiency. Of course, the issues of plastic waste and carbon emissions remain challenges to be addressed, but eco-friendly technologies aimed at resolving these problems are also advancing rapidly.
Thus, oil—which was nothing more than a simple black liquid when it was first discovered—has become an indispensable resource in our daily lives through relentless research and technological development. And hidden within it are countless “treasures” such as plastics, textiles, medical supplies, electronic products, and advanced materials. Perhaps even in things we currently consider useless, there may be new possibilities and value yet to be discovered.
