Petroleum Products - Surprise! It's In More Than Just Fuels And Vaseline

We are all familiar with petroleum and the role it plays in the fuel industry. These days, however, petroleum does much more than just help a vehicle get from here to there. A large number of people are not aware of how many business and household products actually contain petroleum.

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According to Rankin Energy, one 42-gallon barrel of oil creates 19.4 gallons of gasoline. The rest of that oil goes into making products that Americans use during business activities, at play, and around the house on a daily basis.

Here is a list of several common, everyday products that have petroleum in them. Some may surprise you!

• Plastics – According to the Huffington Post, many plastics are made from chemicals called petrochemicals, which are made from petroleum.

• Nylon – Many synthetic fibers, including nylon and polyester, are petroleum-based fibers. According to the Huffington Post, this means that it required a significant amount of energy to produce them so that they won’t break down. Who knew that business suits and pantyhose were made from oil?

• Candles – The Huffington Post reports that wax candles are made from raw petroleum. Other wax products such as crayons, wax paper, and floor wax also contain petroleum.

• Painkillers and Synthetic Vitamins – Like plastics, these little pills are often made from petrochemicals as well.

• Cosmetics – Makeup products that include oil, perfume, color, or wax (lipstick, hair color, shampoo, toothpaste, and shaving cream) are also derived from petrochemicals.

• Detergents – Soapless detergents commonly used to wash dishes or clothes often include the petrochemical glycerin.

• Golf Balls – These little, round, white balls contain petrochemicals. According to the Huffington Post, over 300 million golf balls are left uncollected annually, and it takes between 100 and 1,000 years for them to biodegrade.

• Credit Cards – It’s true. You wouldn’t have a credit card to swipe at the gas pump without the help of petroleum!

• Roof Shingles and Paint – Corporate buildings, small businesses and homes couldn’t be made to the standard they currently are without petroleum. Well, to say the least, they would certainly be less aesthetically pleasing.

• Technology – Computers, cameras, CDs, telephones, copy machines, and video cassettes are all made from a derivative of petroleum.

• Animal products – Even Fido is influenced by petroleum products. Dog toys and flea colors are two examples of animal products made with petroleum.

What it boils down to is that petroleum can be found in way more products than one may initially assume. Even the simple task of swiping a credit card is a process that is completed rich with products made thanks to petroleum. The credit card itself, the technology in the machine that swipes it, and the pen and ink used to sign the receipt are all petroleum products.

A life without petroleum products would be very different from the convenient lifestyle that Americans presently have the privilege of enjoying. Petroleum can be thanked for deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap, hair combs, and clothing. That being said, thank goodness for petroleum!

Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/11/9-shocking-things-made-fr_n_570796.html#s89403&title=Plastics
http://www.saveandconserve.com/2007/05/petroleum_based_products_a_long_list.html
http://everydaysimplicity.blogspot.com/2007/06/products-made-from-petroleum-yikes.html
http://www.earthsciweek.org/forteachers/2007/productspetroleum_cont.html

   Paul Moore

About the Guest Author:

Paul Moore is a regular user of petroleum products both at home and at work, where he provides corporations with employee housing in the form of furnished suites in the Bakken oil region.