Chapter Four – Nonhydrocarbon Intermediates

Publisher Summary From natural gas, crude oils, and other fossil materials such as coal, few intermediates are produced that are not hydrocarbon compounds. The important intermediates discussed here are hydrogen, sulfur, carbon black, and synthesis gas. The uses of these intermediates are studied here. Synthesis gas consists of a nonhydrocarbon mixture (H2, CO) obtainable from more than one source. Its uses and properties are included in this chapter and are further noted in Chapter 5 in relation to methane as a major feedstock for this mixture. The chapter discusses the use of synthesis gas obtained from coal gasification and from different petroleum sources for producing gaseous as well as liquid hydrocarbons (Fischer Tropsch synthesis). Naphthenic acids and cresylic acid, which are extracted from certain crude oil fractions, are briefly reviewed at the end of the chapter.