The 12 types of petroleum products

A classification of petroleum products, with specific examples.

There are many substances and elements present in nature, among which many are used by man for multiple purposes.

Some of them are used as food, others as raw material to elaborate products or even as fuel. And among the fuels, one of the most valued to the point of being also called "black gold" is oil.

This product and its value is in fact an aspect to be taken into account and capable of tremendously affecting the world economy, even provoking armed conflicts. And it is not only its value as a fuel, but also the fact that in our daily lives we constantly use petroleum products. That is why throughout this article we are going to mention some examples of this type of products.

What is petroleum?

Petroleum is an oily liquid substance, a hydrocarbon compound with a black to yellowish color (depending on its composition) that is extracted from the subsoil and is a product.

It is one of the most coveted substances as it is one of the most important sources of energy used by mankind, being the main source of fossil fuels and having replaced coal centuries ago. That is why the money that moves this product conditions not only the world economy, but even geopolitics.

Its composition includes cyclic hydrocarbons, alkenes and, to a lesser extent, sulfur- and nitrogen-based compounds, although it varies depending on the mixture.although it varies depending on the mixture of hydrocarbons and their different proportions.

Its main origin is the transformation of organic matter (remains of algae, plankton and remains of living beings) over millions of years, after being deposited by geographic accidents and sedimentation.

After being extracted, the oil is subjected to a distillation process in which its various components are separated, which can be used to produce oil.The oil is then distilled to produce different products (from fuels to medicines), either directly or through multiple chemical interactions. One of the most valued aspects of petroleum is that the products derived from this substance are very varied, adopting appearances and properties that hardly resemble each other.

Products derived from petroleum

Below we will see a series of products derived from petroleum, most of which we use frequently. In some cases their linkage is obvious and well known, while in others the fact that they are derived from petroleum can be surprising.

Gasoline and other fuels

Probably the clearest and best known derivative of petroleum is gasoline, being the main fuel used by the most common methods of transportation.It is the main fuel used by both public and private motorized transportation methods. For decades, this product has shaped the way of life of globalized societies, either by enabling the mobility of people on a large scale, or by greatly facilitating imports and exports.

In addition to gasoline, gas oil, diesel or kerosene are other fuels of great relevance and usefulness in different means of transport.

2. Butane gas

Although it may not seem so, the butane gas we use in kitchens or even in different industries is one of the products of petroleum, since is a liquefied gas generated from the distillation of crude oil..

3. Asphalt

The asphalt that covers our roads is also a semi-solid product derived from crude oil. Specifically, it is the residue from the distillation of crude oil, is the residue from the distillation of crude oil..

In addition to roads, it is also used for waterproofing and to make roof tiles.

4. Fertilizers

It may seem strange that oil can be converted into a substance that contributes to plant growth, but the truth is that after several chemical processes it can be transformed into a source of ammonia similar to that of manure.

5. Pesticides, fungicides and herbicides

Agriculture has benefited from oil both in the production of fertilizers and of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Despite the fact that they can be harmful, they have been used to eliminate different types of dangerous insect pests, invasion of weeds and plants harmful to the crop, or infections such as those of some both. or infections such as those of both. And all of them can also be manufactured from oil.

6. Synthetic fabric

Some products used in the production of textiles are also petroleum products. This is the case of polyester or nylon.

7. Plastics

One of the most widely used materials today, plastic is usually (but not always) a petroleum product.

This includes a large number of products: bags, packaging, tableware, kitchenware, and even some items of furniture, technological gadgets, the latex in condoms, and so on.The latex in condoms and practically the vast majority of items in our environment contain some kind of plastic component. This material can adopt very varied formats, becoming rigid and firm or thin and flexible.

8. Detergents

The detergents we use to wash clothes are also petroleum products, although they have a very different function from the materials we have seen so far. It is a peptizing substance, which It is a peptizing substance, which allows dirt to be loosened from the solid surfaces on which it is deposited. solid surfaces on which it is deposited or adhered.

9. Paints and solvents

Although not in all cases, paints, dyes and solvents of all kinds have often been produced from materials generated from petroleum. Typically these types of paints have a smooth finish, and offer a greater ability to resist water than the pigment-based paints than those based on pigments used for thousands of years.

10. Soaps, perfumes, dyes and cosmetics

It may seem surprising but some cosmetic products, soaps and perfumes often contain petroleum-derived components, such as petrolatum or some of the volatile substances used in perfumes. Similarly, shampoo often contains synthetic polymers based on petroleum derivatives.

11. Food products

Some of the additives used in food preservation or treatment also come from petroleum processing. Flavor modifiers or enhancers, sweeteners or colorants are some examples. are some examples. Many food supplements or vitamins also contain some petroleum-derived component, usually to create more or less homogeneous mixtures that do not break down easily.

12. Pharmaceuticals and health products

Other petroleum-derived products are some of the health products or even some medicines. Prostheses, test strips or the glycerin used in suppositories, for example, are examples of this.. Also other products such as condoms made of latex.