petrochemical

From petro- +‎ chemical.

petrochemical (plural petrochemicals)

1. (petrochemistry) Any chemical derived from petroleum.

   Alternative forms: petchem, petrochem (clippings)

   Coordinate term: biochemical

   • 2023 September 19, Yessenia Funes, “The Father of Environmental Justice Exposes the Geography of Inequity”, in Scientific American‎^[1]:

     Another is a Bloomberg project we're participating in that looks beyond petrochemicals.

2. (petrochemistry) Any chemical derived from any of the fossil fuels: petroleum, natural gas, or coal.

   Alternative forms: petchem, petrochem (clippings)

   Coordinate term: biochemical

   As the prices of petroleum, natural gas, and coal fluctuate over the years, the petrochemical industry can to some extent switch feedstocks.

petrochemical (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to the such compounds, or the industry that produces them.

   Alternative forms: petchem, petrochem (clippings)

   • 2009, M.S.Vassiliou, Historical Dictionary of the Petroleum Industry‎^[2], page 5:

     In 2006, about 6 percent of the world's crude oil production was used in non-energy applications, primarily as a petrochemical feedstock.

• petrochemistry

• cephalometric