Ethylene, propylene, butylene, butadiene

CPC v2.1 Code: 33421

About ethylene, propylene, butylene, butadiene

cpc code 33421 covers the production of four key petrochemicals: ethylene, propylene, butylene, and butadiene. These olefins are essential building blocks for a wide range of downstream industries, including plastics, synthetic rubber, and various chemical products. As such, this industry plays a vital role in the global economy, supporting the manufacture of countless consumer and industrial goods.

Production process

The primary production method for these olefins is steam cracking, where hydrocarbon feedstocks such as natural gas liquids or naphtha are heated to high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. This process breaks down the larger hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, more valuable olefins. Subsequent distillation and purification steps are then used to separate the individual components.

Production inputs

The main inputs for this industry include hydrocarbon feedstocks, such as 32111 natural gas liquids and 32121 naphtha, as well as specialized equipment like steam crackers, distillation columns, and other processing units. Significant energy resources, such as natural gas or electricity, are also required to power the high-temperature cracking process.

Production outputs

The outputs of this industry are the four key olefins: ethylene, propylene, butylene, and butadiene. These are then consumed by a wide range of downstream industries, including 32211 plastics, 32212 synthetic rubber, and 32219 other chemical products. The olefins produced under this code are essential feedstocks for the manufacture of countless consumer and industrial goods.

Family tree for ethylene, propylene, butylene, butadiene

    graph LR
    A["<a href='/classifications/cpc/v2-1/3'>3: Other transportable goods, except metal products, machinery and equipment</a>"]
A --> B["<a href='/classifications/cpc/v2-1/33'>33: Coke oven products; refined petroleum products; nuclear fuel</a>"]
B --> C["<a href='/classifications/cpc/v2-1/334'>334: Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons, except natural gas</a>"]
C --> D["<a href='/classifications/cpc/v2-1/3342'>3342: Ethylene, propylene, butylene, butadiene and other petroleum gases or gaseous hydrocarbons, except natural gas</a>"]
D --> E["<a href='/classifications/cpc/v2-1/33421'>33421: Ethylene, propylene, butylene, butadiene</a>"]

    D --> F["<a href='/classifications/cpc/v2-1/33429'>33429: Other petroleum gases or gaseous hydrocarbons, except natural gas</a>"]

    

    %% Color coordination by level

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    classDef level2 color:#000,fill:#e0a458,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level3 color:#000,fill:#419d78,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level4 color:#000,fill:#c04abc,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level5 color:#000,fill:#f1c40f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level6 color:#000,fill:#f1c40f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef highlight color:#000,fill:#fff,stroke:#000,stroke-width:5px



  %% Apply classes
  class A level1
class B level2
class C level3
class D level4
class E level5
class F level5

  class E highlight

  %% class A level1
  %% class B,C level2
  %% class D,E,F,G,H,I level2
  %% class J,K,L,M,N,O,P level3
  %% class E highlight