Oil and gas production handbook An introduction to oil and gas production

Figure 27. Olefins – ethylene, derivatives 
 
Polyester and polyester resins is described under the Aromatics chain 
(Chapter 7.1.1). 
 
Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol (common alcohol), is manufactured by 
synthesis from ethylene. It is an oxygenated hydrocarbon used in a wide 
variety of high performance solvent applications (toiletries and cosmetics, 
paints, lacquer thinners, printing inks, dyes, detergents, disinfectants and 
pharmaceuticals), as a chemical raw material for the production of a range of 
monomers and solvents, and is essential in pharmaceutical purification. In 
transportation, ethanol is used as a vehicle fuel by itself, blended with 
gasoline, or as a gasoline octane enhancer and oxygenate. 
 
Ethanolamines are prepared by the reaction of ammonia and ethylene oxide. 
They include monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA) and 
triethanolamine (TEA). The three are widely used in industry, principally as 
absorbents for acidic components of natural gas and of petroleum-refinery 

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gas streams. It is also used to make detergents, metalworking fluids, and as 
gas sweetening. TEA is used in detergents and cosmetics applications and 
as a cement additive. 
 
Polyethylene (PE), with a world production around 80 million tons, is the 
most common plastic (and polymer). It is a polymer of ethylene, especially 
any of various lightweight thermoplastics that are resistant to chemicals and 
moisture, and has good insulating properties. Its primary use is in packaging 
(plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes, containers including bottles, 
etc.).  
 
Many kinds of polyethylene are known, with most having the chemical 
formula (C
2
H
4
)
n
H
2
. It has many different trade varieties, and the most 
common are: