Includes bibliographical references and index.

"Providing 95 percent of the 500 billion pounds of organic chemicals produced in the world, the petroleum and natural gas industries are responsible for products that ensure our present quality of life. Products as diverse as gasoline, plastics, detergents, fibers, pesticides, tires, lipstick, shampoo, and sunscreens are based on seven raw materials derived from petroleum and natural gas. In an updated and expanded Third Edition, Industrial Organic Chemicals examines why each of these chemical building blocks-ethylene, propylene, C4 olefins (butenes and butadiene), benzene toluene, the xylenes, and methane-is preferred over another in the context of an environmental issue or manufacturing process, as well as their individual chemistry, derivatives, method of manufacture, uses, and economic significance."-- Provided by publisher.

Print version record.

Industrial Organic Chemicals; Contents; Preface; Preface to the First Edition; Preface to the Second Edition; Acknowledgments; Bryan Godel Reuben 1934-2012; List of Acronyms and Abbreviations; Introduction: How to Use Industrial Organic Chemicals, Third Edition; I.1 Why This Book Was Written and How It Is Structured; I.2 North American Industry Classification System; I.3 Units and Nomenclature; I.4 General Bibliography; I.4.1 Encyclopedias; I.4.2 Books; I.4.3 Journals; I.4.4 Patents; I.4.5 Statistics and Internet Sources of Information; 1. The Evolution of the Organic Chemicals Industry.

1.1 The National Economy1.2 Size of the Chemical Industry; 1.3 Characteristics of the Chemical Industry; 1.3.1 Capital Intensity and Economies of Scale; 1.3.2 Criticality and Pervasiveness; 1.3.3 Freedom of Market Entry; 1.3.4 Strong Regulation; 1.3.4.1 European Legislation; 1.3.4.2 Political Factors; 1.3.5 High but Declining Research and Development Expenditures; 1.3.6 Dislocations; 1.4 The Top Companies; 1.5 The Top Chemicals; Endnotes; 2. Globalization of the Chemical Industry; 2.1 Overcapacity; 2.1.1 Economic Cycles; 2.2 Restructuring, Mergers, and Acquisitions.

2.2.1 SuICIde of a UK Company2.2.2 Private Equity; 2.3 Participation in International Trade; 2.4 Competition from Developing Countries; Endnotes; 3. Transporting Chemicals; 3.1 Shipping Petroleum; 3.2 Shipping Gas; 3.3 Shipping Chemicals; 3.3.1 Gases; 3.3.2 Liquids; 3.3.3 Solids; 3.4 Health and Safety; 3.5 Economic Aspects; 3.6 Trade in Specific Chemicals; 3.7 Top Shipping Companies; Endnotes; 4. Chemicals from Natural Gas and Petroleum; 4.1 Petroleum Distillation; 4.2 Shale Gas; 4.2.1 Shale Gas Technology; 4.3 Naphtha Versus Gaseous Feedstocks; 4.4 Heavier Oil Fractions.

4.5 Steam Cracking and Petroleum Refining Reactions4.5.1 Steam Cracking; 4.5.2 Choice of Feedstock; 4.5.3 Economics of Steam Cracking; 4.6 Catalytic Cracking; 4.7 Mechanisms of Steam and Catalytic Cracking; 4.8 Catalytic Reforming; 4.9 Oligomerization; 4.10 Alkylation; 4.11 Hydrotreating and Coking; 4.12 Dehydrogenation; 4.13 Isomerization; 4.14 Metathesis; 4.14.1 Metathesis Outside the Refinery; 4.14.2 Mechanism of Metathesis; 4.15 Function of the Refinery and the Potential Petroleum Shortage; 4.15.1 Unleaded Gasoline and the Clean Air Act; 4.16 Separation of Natural Gas.

4.17 Oil from Tar SandsEndnotes; 5. Chemicals and Polymers from Ethylene; 5.1 Ethylene Polymers; 5.1.1 Discovery of Low and High Density Polyethylenes; 5.1.2 Low Density Polyethylene; 5.1.3 High Density Polyethylene; 5.1.4 Linear Low Density Polyethylene; 5.1.5 Very High Molecular Weight Polyethylene; 5.1.6 Metallocene Polyethylenes; 5.1.7 Very Low Density Polyethylene; 5.1.8 Bimodal HDPE; 5.1.9 "Green" Polyethylene; 5.2 Ethylene Copolymers; 5.2.1 Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene; 5.2.2 Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate; 5.2.3 Ionomers; 5.2.4 Copolymer from "Incompatible" Polymer Blends.