Petrochemical industries are involved in thousands of production processes and are distributed in many fields, such as the medical field, where they are mainly used to manufacture medicines such as penicillin and aspirin, and treatments for AIDS and arthritis. They are also used in the manufacture of prosthetic limbs and a lot of medical equipment.
It is also involved in the food field, such as the manufacture of food preservers and artificial food colorings, and in the agricultural field, it is involved in the manufacture of fertilizers and pesticides, in addition to the manufacture of pipes, threads, and plastic containers. It is also involved in the domestic field to a large extent in the manufacture of plastics and fibres, and thus Plastic containers, detergents, colors, containers, socks, contact lenses, wax, and many other household products are produced.
The importance of petrochemical industries
It has a major role in the economy and growth. With the rise in demand for energy, the petrochemical industry has evolved from processing oil and gas by adding value to low-value by-products that have limited use in the fuel industry. The industry now produces an impressive range of products. Useful materials including plastics, synthetic rubber, solvents, fertilizers, medicines, additives, explosives and adhesives.
There are many important applications in almost all areas of modern society, as petrochemical products are used in automobiles, packaging, household goods, medical equipment, paints, clothing, and building materials, to name a few of the common applications. Moreover, the industry continues to innovate through... New technology and ability to process different types of raw materials.
The petrochemical industries aim to encourage industries and benefit from the decline in global oil prices by converting the raw product into a final product that is sold with a competitive advantage, which achieves surpluses and profits that cover and exceed the losses of global crude oil price fluctuations.
Natural gas is the main input to it, including the manufacture of automobile tires, which Egypt is interested in manufacturing instead of importing them from abroad and manufacturing them locally. Egypt is also expanding in the field of petrochemicals significantly, to maximize the added value and achieve the greatest amount of Egypt’s natural wealth.
Farid Abdel-Wareth