In this article, we will understand the importance of petroleum in our lives as we come to know the wide array of applications it has in different sectors.
Petroleum can be found everywhere, and it is utilized in a wide array of end-use applications. It is utilized by some of the largest companies to manufacture various petroleum-based products such as plastics, fertilizers, automobiles, and aeroplanes.
Currently, petroleum is one of the major driving forces of our economy. Petroleum has a plethora of uses in various industries including the production of aviation turbine fuel, paraffin, fuel oil, plastic, polyester, and bitumen, among many others.
Among all the products made from petroleum, aviation turbine fuel, petrochemicals, and lubricants are some of the most important products.
Aviation Turbine Fuel: These are kerosene-based fuels for gas-turbine-powered aircraft. A significant portion of the world’s crude oil is spent on creating aircraft fuel to power the world’s air travel. With the growing number of travellers, fuels have developed to provide better performance and cost-efficiency.
Lubricants: They are mineral oils that are extracted from naturally occurring crude oils. It is a substance that is used to reduce friction and the wearing of the surface of components in contact. This helps in reducing the heat generated by the machine, which extends the lifespan of the equipment. It is an essential product that is regularly utilized by various industries to maintain the proper functioning of the equipment.
Petrochemicals: These are chemical products obtained from petroleum and natural gas after it goes through a refining process. These chemicals are essential to manufacturing thousands of other products that are useful in the daily life of people. Some of the products in the petrochemicals market include plastics, medicines, electronics, cosmetics, wind turbines, and furniture, among others.
The crude oil first goes through refining processes in petroleum refineries to transform the crude oil into a wide array of useful products. These products are then used in different sectors for a multitude of applications including transportation, energy, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and the chemical industry, among others.
Among these, the transportation sector is a key user of petroleum for energy. Although alternative energy sources are being developed rapidly, petrol and diesel are heavily utilised due to their cost-effectiveness and widespread applications around the world.
There is a myriad of objects used in our daily life that are somehow connected to petroleum. One such example would be carbon black, which is a fine black powder mainly consisting of elemental carbon.
The thermal decomposition method or the partial combustion method are used for manufacturing carbon black. This utilizes hydrocarbons as raw materials, including oil or natural gas.
The carbon black market mainly utilizes the material to strengthen rubber tires and add a black pigment to them. It is also helpful in spreading the heat away from the belt area of the tire, which further increases the durability of the tire by reducing thermal damage.
It would not be an overstatement to say that a significant portion of the world is dependent on petroleum products. The products listed in this article are nothing but just the tip of a massive iceberg. Petroleum is a non-renewable resource, and it is constantly depleting. The complete removal of petroleum products would bring wide-scale changes to our lifestyle.
