Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Implications of Climate Change for the Petrochemical Industry: Mitigation Measures and Feedstock Transitions

  • Reference work entry
Handbook of Climate Change Mitigation

Abstract

For the past 50 or more years, society has been increasingly reliant on the products of the organic chemical industry to supply the clothes we wear, the food we eat, our health, housing, transportation, security, and other commodities. Approximately 92% of organic chemical products are produced from petroleum, that is, fossil, or mineral, oil, and gas. In addition, these same resources are generally used to provide the large quantities of process heat and power needed by the industry. In the modern petrochemical industry, oil and gas inputs for both raw material and process energy compose around 50% of the operating costs.

The result is that not only is the chemical industry (including petrochemicals) the industrial sector with the highest emissions worldwide, it is also very vulnerable to variations in fossil fuel prices and carbon prices. Thus, efficiency has long been a major factor in determining competitiveness in petrochemicals, and the sector has a high success rate in reducing its energy intensity. Despite this, over the past decade, while total use of oil has grown globally at a rate of 1.4% per year over, the use of oil for chemical feedstocks has grown at about 4.0% per year. Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in an industry that is so dependent on fossil fuels presents a significant challenge that has begun to receive serious attention from researchers and businesses alike.

This chapter introduces the history of the modern chemical industry and the establishment of its close relationship with the oil industry – a relationship that has recently come under strain. It goes on to describe some of the major chemical processes, their GHG emissions, and their geographical variations. The main focus of the chapter is a discussion of the benefits and challenges of three main technological mitigation options: efficiency gains, CO2 capture and storage, and feedstock switching. The interaction of these options with the main climate policy instruments in Europe, and worldwide, is considered.

The concept of “biorefining” for bio-based chemicals is given particular prominence for its potential to deliver renewability, low CO2, and energy/feedstock security in the long term. However, establishing new production routes based on biomass in Europe is shown to face considerable social, technical, and economic obstacles to reaching a scale that can contribute valuable emissions reductions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 899.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Wittcoff HA, Reuben BG (1980) Industrial organic chemicals in perspective. Part 1: Raw materials and manufacture. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  2. OECD (2007) IEA oil information, natural gas information & coal information. ESDS International (MIMAS) University of Manchester

    Google Scholar 

  3. De Vries HJM, Blok K, Patel M, Weiss M, Joosen S, Visser ED, Sijm J, Wilde HD (2006) Assessment of the interaction between economic and physical growth. Dutch Ministry of the Environment (VROM), The Hague

    Google Scholar 

  4. Marshall J (2007) Biorefineries: curing our addiction to oil. New Sci 2611:28–31

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hodges P (2009) Coping with oil price volatility: chemical companies would be wise to assume that recent oil price volatility will continue in 2009. Chemistry and Industry 2:17–19

    Google Scholar 

  6. Koopmans RJ (2006) R&D challenges for the 21st century. Soft Matter 2(7):537–543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Morrow NL (1990) The industrial production and use of 1, 3-butadiene. Environ Health Perspect 86:7–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. IEA (2009) IEA energy statistics. http://www.iea.org/stats, Accessed 21 December 2009

  9. Redwood B (2009) Petroleum: its production and use. BiblioBazaar, Charleston

    Google Scholar 

  10. Levingston S (2006) As the auto age dawned, gasoline wasn't king. Washington Post, August 13 F01

    Google Scholar 

  11. Nguyen P, Saviotti P-P, Trommetter M, Bourgeois B (2005) Variety and the evolution of refinery processing. Ind Corp Change 14(3):469–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Spitz PH (1988) Petrochemicals: the rise of an industry. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ogston AR (1997) A short history of aviation gasoline development. In: SAE (ed) History of aircraft lubricants. SAE, Warrendale

    Google Scholar 

  14. Mann SA (1966) Feedstocks for the chemical industry. Chem Br 2

    Google Scholar 

  15. Staudinger H (1936) The formation of high polymers of unsaturated substances. Trans Faraday Soc 32:97–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Reader WJ (1977) Imperial chemical industries and the state. In: Supple B (ed) Essays in British business history. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  17. Bennett SJ, Pearson PJG (2009) From petrochemical complexes to biorefineries? The past and prospective co-evolution of liquid fuels and chemicals production in the UK. Chemical engineering research and design (ChERD) 87(9):1120–1139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Reader WJ (1975) Imperial chemical industries: a history. Vol 2 the first quarter-century 1926-1952. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  19. Hodges P, Keeley J, Townsend B (2008) Feedstocks for profit. International eChem, London

    Google Scholar 

  20. Da Rosa AV (2009) Hydrogen production. In: Fundamentals of renewable energy processes, 2nd edn. Academic, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  21. Levin DB, Chahine R (2010) Challenges for renewable hydrogen production from biomass. Int J Hydrogen Energy 35(10):4962–4969

    Google Scholar 

  22. Wood S, Cowie A (2004) A review of greenhouse gas emission factors for fertilizer production for IEA bioenergy task 38. State Forests of New South Wales, Beecroft NSW

    Google Scholar 

  23. Ren T, Patel MK (2009) Basic petrochemicals from natural gas, coal and biomass: Energy use and CO2 emissions. Resour Conserv Recycling 53(9):513–528

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Szklo AS, Soares JB, Tolmasquim MT (2004) Economic potential of natural gas-fired cogeneration–analysis of brazil's chemical industry. Energy Policy 32(12):1415–1428

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Dry RJ (1988) Possibilities for the development of large-capacity methanol synthesis reactors for synfuel production. Ind Eng Chem Res 27(4):616–624

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. NZIC (1988) The production of methanol and gasoline. In: NZIC (ed) Chemical processes in New Zealand. Christchurch, NZ

    Google Scholar 

  27. Belt HVD (1987) The Nelson-Winter-Dosi model and synthetic dye chemistry. In: Bijker WE et al (eds) The social construction of technological systems. MIT Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  28. Hodge J (2000) An overview of the role of producer services in the petrochemicals industry in south Africa: a case study of sasol. Development policy research unit working paper 9686. University of Cape Town, Cape Town, SA

    Google Scholar 

  29. Tullo A (2007) Eastman pushes gasification. Chem Eng News 85(32):10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Croda (2007) Safety, health and environment report. http://www.croda.com/home.aspx?d=content&s=1&r=63&p=231, Accessed 25 September 2008

  31. Bernton H, Kovarik W, Sklar S (1982) The forbidden fuel. Power alcohol in the twentieth century. Boyd Griffin, New York

    Google Scholar 

  32. Weir RB (1995) The history of the distillers company 1877-1939. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  33. Finlay MR (2004) Old efforts at new uses: a brief history of chemurgy and the american search for biobased materials. J Ind Ecol 7(3–4):33–46

    Google Scholar 

  34. Hale WJ (1930) When agriculture enters the chemical industry. Ind Eng Chem 22(12):1311–1315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Bennett SJ (2008) Greener past years: the history of Biopol. Cleantech Magazine 2(10):20–22

    Google Scholar 

  36. Madival S, Auras R, Singh SP, Narayan R (2009) Assessment of the environmental profile of pla, pet and ps clamshell containers using LCA methodology. J Clean Prod 17(13):1183–1194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Murphy RJ, Davis G, Payne M (2008) Life cycle assessment (LCA) of biopolymers for single-use carrier bags. National Non-Food Crops Centre, Imperial College London, Defra, London

    Google Scholar 

  38. Uihlein A, Ehrenberger S, Schebek L (2008) Utilisation options of renewable resources: a life cycle assessment of selected products. J Clean Prod 16(12):1306–1320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. IEA (2007) Tracking industrial energy efficiency and CO2 emissions. In support of the G8 plan of action. International Energy Agency, OECD, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  40. Cefic (2006) The chemical industry helps to protect the climate. The European Chemical Industry Council, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  41. Tam C, Gielen DJ (2006) Petrochemical indicators. In: IEA/CEFIC Workshop: feedstock substitutes, energy efficient technology and CO2 reduction for petrochemical products. December 12–13, 2006. Paris, France

    Google Scholar 

  42. EC (2009) European community annex I party GHG inventory submission for 2007. UNFCCC, Bonn, DE

    Google Scholar 

  43. Höök M, Söderbergh B, Jakobsson K, Aleklett K (2009) The evolution of giant oil field production behavior. Natural Resources Research 18(1):39–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Sorrell S, Speirs J, Bentley R, Brandt A, Miller R (2009) Global oil depletion. An assessment of the evidence for a near-term peak in global oil production. UK Energy Research Centre, London

    Google Scholar 

  45. Wrap (2006) Environmental benefits of recycling. An international review of lifecycle comparisons for key materials in the UK recycling sector. Wrap, London

    Google Scholar 

  46. Gielen D, Bennaceur K, Tam C (2006) IEA petrochemical scenarios for 2030–2050: energy technology perspectives. International Energy Agency, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  47. Peck P, Bennett SJ, Lenhart J, Bissett-Amess R, Mozaffarian H (2009) Understanding, acceptance, and support for the biorefinery concept among policy-makers. Biofuels, Bioprod Bioref 3(3):361–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Koutinas AA, Arifeen N, Wang R, Webb C (2007) Cereal-based biorefinery development: Integrated enzyme production for cereal flour hydrolysis. Biotechnol Bioeng 97(1):61–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Braskem (2007) Braskem has the first certified green polyethylene in the world. Press release. http://www.braskem.com.br/site/portal_braskem/en/sala_de_imprensa/sala_de_imprensa_detalhes_6062.aspx, Accessed 27 September 2007

  50. DuPont (2006) DuPont tate & lyle bio products begin bio-pdo™ production in tennessee. DuPont News. Accessed 27 September 2007

    Google Scholar 

  51. Maddison A (2009) The world economy: historical statistics. OECD, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  52. OECD (2008) IEA oil information, natural gas information & coal information. ESDS International (MIMAS) University of Manchester

    Google Scholar 

  53. Anastas PT, Warner J (1998) Green chemistry: theory and practice. Oxford University Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  54. Department of Energy (1975–1992) Digest of United Kingdom energy statistics 1974–1991. Her Majesty’s Stationary Office, London

    Google Scholar 

  55. DTI (1972–1974) Digest of energy statistics 1971–1973. In: Department of Trade and Industry (ed), Her Majesty's Stationary Office, London

    Google Scholar 

  56. DTI (1993–2006) Digest of United Kingdom energy statistics 1992–2005. In: Department of Trade and Industry (ed), Her Majesty’s Stationary Office, London

    Google Scholar 

  57. Ministry of Fuel and Power (1944–1961) Statistical digests 1938–1960. His Majesty’s Stationary Office, London

    Google Scholar 

  58. Ministry of Power (1962–1968) Statistical digests 1961–1967. Her Majesty’s Stationary Office, London

    Google Scholar 

  59. Xie K, Li W, Zhao W (2010) Coal chemical industry and its sustainable development in china. Energy 35(11):4349–4355. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2009.05.029

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Imperial Centre for Energy Policy and Technology, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    Simon J. Bennett

Authors
  1. Simon J. Bennett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Simon J. Bennett .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Mississippi, Mississippi, USA

    Wei-Yin Chen

  2. National Center for Physical Acoustics, University of Mississippi, Mississippi, USA

    John Seiner

  3. National Institute of Advanced Industrial, Science and Technology (AIST), Nagoya, Japan

    Toshio Suzuki

  4. The Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna), Wien, Austria

    Maximilian Lackner

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this entry

Cite this entry

Bennett, S.J. (2012). Implications of Climate Change for the Petrochemical Industry: Mitigation Measures and Feedstock Transitions. In: Chen, WY., Seiner, J., Suzuki, T., Lackner, M. (eds) Handbook of Climate Change Mitigation. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7991-9_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation