Ethylene & Propylene: Unveiling the Lucrative Opportunities Shaping the Petrochemical Industry
Ethylene and Propylene are unsaturated hydrocarbons that belong to the alkene family. They both play a pivotal role in the production of various petrochemical derivatives. Ethylene is a colorless, flammable gas, while Propylene is a gas with a slightly sweet odor. The chemical formula for Ethylene is C2H4, while Propylene's chemical formula is C3H6. Both gases are produced through the steam cracking process, which involves breaking down hydrocarbons in the presence of steam at high temperatures. Production Process The production of Ethylene and Propylene primarily involves the refining of crude oil and natural gas. These feedstocks are subjected to steam cracking, a process where hydrocarbons are heated at temperatures ranging from 800 to 900 degrees Celsius. During this thermal cracking, longer hydrocarbon chains are broken down into smaller, more valuable molecules, such as Ethylene and Propylene. After the cracking process, these gases are separated and purified for use in vari...