“Petrochemicals derived from oil and natural gas make the manufacturing of over 6,000 everyday products and high-tech devices possible.” — U.S. DOE
According to the U.S. Department of Energy,
When you think about oil there is probably one thing that immediately comes to mind: motor oil for your car or lawn mower. And, when you hear about natural gas, you may think about heating your home, cooking, or even electric power generation.
But, there are many other uses for these hydrocarbons than what meets the eye. Petrochemicals derived from oil and natural gas make the manufacturing of over 6,000 everyday products and high-tech devices possible.
Major petrochemicals—including ethylene, propylene, acetylene, benzene, and toluene, as well as natural gas constituents like methane, propane, and ethane—are the feedstock chemicals for the production of many of the items we use and depend on every day.
Modern life relies on the availability of these products that are made in the United States and across the globe. We zero in on some of these common household and commercial products below. The list may surprise you!
This listing follows:
Adhesive; Air mattresses; Ammonia; Antifreeze; Antihistamines; Antiseptics; Artificial limbs; Artificial turf; Asphalt; Aspirin; Awnings.
Backpacks; Balloons; Ballpoint pens; Bandages; Beach umbrellas; Boats.
Cameras; Candies and gum; Candles; Car battery cases; Car enamel; Cassettes; Caulking; CDs/computer disks; Cell phones; Clothes; Clothesline; Clothing; Coffee makers; Cold cream; Combs; Computer keyboards; Computer monitors; Cortisone; Crayons; Credit cards; Curtains.
Dashboards; Denture adhesives; Dentures; Deodorant; Detergent; Dice; Dishwashing liquid; Dog collars; Drinking cups; Dyes.
Electric blankets; Electrical tape; Enamel; Epoxy paint; Eyeglasses.
Fan belts; Faucet washers; Fertilizers; Fishing boots; Fishing lures; Floor wax; Food preservatives; Footballs; Fuel tanks.
Glue; Glycerin; Golf bags; Golf balls; Guitar strings.
Hair coloring; Hair curlers; Hand lotion; Hearing aids; Heart valves; House paint; Hula hoops.
Ice buckets; Ice chests; Ice cube trays; Ink; Insect repellent; Insecticides; Insulation; iPad/iPhone.
Kayaks.
Laptops; Life jackets; Light-weight aircraft; Lipstick; Loudspeakers; Lubricants; Luggage.
Model cars; Mops; Motorcycle helmets; Movie film.
Nail polish; Noise insulation; Nylon rope.
Oil filters.
Packaging; Paint brushes; Paint roller; Pajamas; Panty hose; Parachutes; Perfumes; Permanent press; Petroleum jelly; Pharmaceuticals; Pillow filling; Plastic toys; Plastics; Plywood adhesive; Propane; Purses; Putty.
Refrigerants; Refrigerator linings; Roller skate wheels; Roofing; Rubber cement; Rubbing alcohol.
Safety glasses; Shampoo; Shaving cream; Shoe polish; Shoes/sandals; Shower curtains; Skateboards; Skis; Soap dishes; Soft contact lenses; Solar panels; Solvents; Spacesuits; Sports car bodies; Sunglasses; Surf boards; Swimming pools; Synthetic rubber.
Telephones; Tennis rackets; Tents; Tires; Tool boxes; Tool racks; Toothbrushes; Toothpaste; Transparent tape; Trash bags; Truck and automobile parts; Tubing; TV cabinets.
Umbrellas; Unbreakable dishes; Upholstery.
Vaporizers; Vinyl flooring; Vitamin capsules.
Water pipes; Wind turbine blades.
Yarn.