Science

How many barrels of oil?

How many barrels of oil does it take to make one ton of polyethylene?

NJW1975 Fri 18/08/06 10:32

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violetblue
Fri 18/08/06
11:12

You were watching the 50th anniversary of the invention of polythene, I imagine! Sorry, don't know, but I'm sure you do!

NJW1975
Fri 18/08/06
11:15

Question Author

No I didn't watch it, I wish that I had though.

heathfield
Fri 18/08/06
20:55

Quote - "Using data collected by the Association of European Plastics Manufacturers for 36 European plastic factories, we estimated that one kilogram of polyethylene,
in contrast, requires about 2.2 kilograms of oil and natural gas, nearly half of which ends up in the final product.

If oil alone were used, manufacturing one tonne of polyethylene will take 2.2 tonnes of oil.

Depending on the source, and therefore the weight of the oil, one tonne of oil will be anywhere between 7.3 and 8.0 x 42 gallon barrels (bo). [Not to be confused with 31.5 gallon barrels (bbl)].

So, if my 11-plus maths serves me right, one tonne of polyethylene would take between 16 and 17.6 barrels.

Mind you, there is the 40% residue from the process, which apparently can go on to produce other things.

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