The methods used in the petrochemical industry generally fall into three main categories.

Aliphatics: These include feedstocks obtained by cracking petroleum or natural gas at high temperatures. This process produces basic aliphatic compounds such as butadiene, butylenes, propylene, and ethylene. These components are used in the production of various plastics, synthetic tires and other chemical products.

Aromatics: These raw materials, obtained by catalytic reforming of naphtha, play an important role in the petrochemical industry. Aromatic compounds such as naphthalene, xylenes, toluene and benzene are critical in the production of dyes, solvents, pharmaceuticals and other chemical products. Aromatics have a wide range of uses in both industrial and consumer products.

Inorganics: This group includes raw materials such as sulfur, animal coal, hydrogen cyanide and ammonia. Inorganic components are mainly used in chemical synthesis and industrial processes. For example, sulfur is an important component in the production of various acids and in environmental control applications, while ammonia is widely used in fertilizer production and other chemical processes.

These methods provide the basic building blocks of the petrochemical industry and offer a wide range of applications.