Fossil fuels, organic chemicals obtained

Figure 21.18 Some of the organic chemicals obtained from fossil fuels and their uses as raw materials. 

Nevertheless, the world economy remains oil-based and the production of almost the whole range of petrochemical and bulk organic chemical products (with a few exceptions, like methanol, urea, and cyanic acid) is still oriented toward the processing of liquid fossil hydrocarbons as the principal raw materials. Also, the same liquid hydrocarbons dominate in the production of motor fuels and lubricants. However, most if not all of the products traditionally produced from oil can be also obtained from gaseous hydrocarbons, including light alkanes. Unfortunately, up to now their utilization in the chemical industry is not satisfying. 

Organic chemicals were once obtained only from plants, animals, and fossil fuels and these are still direct sources of hydrocarbons (Figures 14.1... 

Asphaltene is an essential component of any dark-colored, heavy, viscous and nonvolatile oil, regardless of the oil source. Asphaltene can be obtained from the oil extracted from a naturally occurring organic-rich fossil material by a simple solvent fractionation. Asphaltene also can be obtained from the chemical conversion product of a solid fuel, such as pyrolysis or catalytic hydrogenation of coal or shale. The former is an example of the asphaltene isolated from native petroleum oil. An example of the latter is the asphaltene obtained from a synthetic crude, such as shale oil or coal liquid. 

---