Oil and gas production handbook An introduction to oil ... - ABB Group

products. Almost all aromatics come from crude oil, although small quantities
are made from coal.
7.1.1 Xylene and polyester chain
Figure 24. Aromatics – xylene and polyester chain, derivatives
One of the forms of xylene, paraxylene, is used to make polyesters which
have applications in clothing, packaging and plastic bottles.
The most widely-used polyester is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), used in
lightweight, recyclable soft drink bottles (30% of production), as fibers in
clothing (60% of production), as a filling for anoraks and duvets, in car tire
cords and conveyor belts. It can also be made into a film that is used in
video and audiotapes and X-ray films. Polyester makes up about 18% of
world polymer production and is the third most-produced polymer;
polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) are first and second, respectively.
Metaxylene is an isomer of mixed xylene. It is used as an intermediate in the
manufacture of polyesters for coatings, inks, reinforced plastics and
packaging applications.
Unsaturated polyester is used over a broad spread of industries, mainly the
construction, boat building, automotive and electrical industries. In most
applications, they are reinforced with small glass fibers. Hence, these
plastics are commonly referred to as glass reinforced plastics (GRP).
Initially a liquid, the resin becomes solid by cross-linking chains. A curative
or hardener creates free radicals at unsaturated bonds, which propagate in a
89