Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum by refining. They are also obtained from other fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as maize, palm fruit, or sugar cane. Petrochemicals are used to manufacture thousands of different products that people use daily, including plastics, medicines, cosmetics, furniture, appliances, electronics, solar power panels, and wind turbines. Some of the most common petrochemical classes are olefins (including ethylene and propylene) and aromatics (including benzene, toluene, and xylene isomers) . Petrochemical manufacturing units differ from commodity chemical plants in that they often produce a number of related products. Petrochemicals are predominantly made in a few manufacturing locations around the world, such as in Jubail and Yanbu Industrial Cities in Saudi Arabia, Texas and Louisiana in the US, in Teesside in the Northeast of England in the United Kingdom, in Tarragona in Catalonia, in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, in Jamnagar, Dahej in Gujarat, India, and in Singapore.

Petrochemical products are used to create a wide variety of household products such as perfumes, cosmetics, makeup products, aftershaves, shampoos, hair dyes, and wax for hair or beard. They are also used in the food industry to create preservatives and enhance the flavor and taste of candies and food colorings. Petrochemicals are also used to create fertilizers.

In summary, petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum by refining and are used to manufacture thousands of different products that people use daily, including plastics, medicines, cosmetics, furniture, appliances, electronics, solar power panels, and wind turbines. They are also used to create household products, preservatives, fertilizers, and enhance the flavor and taste of food.