Exousia Global Concepts

 Crude oil and natural gas have enormous economic importance, but their usefulness ultimately begins at the molecular level. At the center of petroleum chemistry is a remarkably simple combination of elements: carbon and hydrogen. Compounds containing only these two elements are known as hydrocarbons. From methane containing one carbon atom to enormous molecules present in heavy petroleum fractions, differences in molecular structure produce dramatically different physical and chemical properties. Understanding hydrocarbons provides the foundation for understanding petroleum refining, natural-gas processing, petrochemicals, fuels, plastics and industrial chemistry. What Is a Hydrocarbon? A hydrocarbon is an organic compound composed entirely of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). � The Department of Energy's Energy.gov Examples include: Methane — CH₄ Ethane — C₂H₆ Propane — C₃H₈ Butane — C₄H₁₀ Octane — C₈H₁₈ Carbon's ability to form stable bonds with itself allows carbon atoms to prod...