What a Barrel of Oil Actually Makes
Oil refineries do far more than produce gasoline and diesel; they generate the chemical building blocks for a vast array of everyday products. Light streams such as naphtha are turned into polyethylene for packaging, while aromatic compounds like benzene, toluene and xylene become synthetic fibers, medical plastics, and detergents. The heaviest residues are processed into asphalt for roads and roofing, and sulfur removed during refining fuels fertilizer production. In essence, roughly 10‑20% of each barrel fuels the physical economy beyond transportation.
Your iPhone Runs on Oil
The iPhone’s supply chain is deeply intertwined with petroleum at every stage, from diesel‑powered mining of copper, lithium and rare earths to the high‑heat smelting processes that turn ore into usable metal. Petrochemical feedstocks create the plastics, adhesives, solvents and...