The Plastic-Oil Nexus: How Much Oil For Plastic?

Oil is used to make plastic, and the processes of cracking and reforming can turn any hydrocarbon into any other hydrocarbon. In 2019, 9 million barrels of oil went towards making plastics every single day worldwide. The most recent data available from the International Energy Agency put the number at 191 million barrels a year (around half a million a day) in 2010.

The refining process

Fossil fuels, such as natural gas, go through an extensive refining process to turn them into the chemicals used to create plastic. Natural gas, for example, undergoes a process called steam cracking to become plastic polymers.

The amount of oil used to make plastic varies. In 2010, the International Energy Agency estimated that around 191 million barrels of oil were used for plastic production annually (around half a million barrels a day). By 2019, this number had increased to 9 million barrels of oil per day worldwide.

It is worth noting that the amount of oil used to make plastic is not just the oil that the plastic itself is made from, but also the oil burned as energy in the manufacturing process. For example, it takes 0.48 megajoules of energy to produce a plastic bag, which is enough energy to heat one litre of water to boiling.

How much oil is used in the US

It is unclear exactly how much oil is used to make plastic in the US, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration does not track total oil-to-plastic usage domestically. However, as of 2019, 9 million barrels of oil were used to make plastics every day worldwide. In 2010, the International Energy Agency put the number at around 191 million barrels a year (around half a million a day).

Across Europe, the portion of oil that goes towards plastic production averages between 4% and 6%, and the best estimates for the worldwide average sit around 6%.

To put this into perspective, it takes 0.48MJ to produce a plastic bag. MJ stands for megajoule, which is enough energy to heat a litre of water to boiling. This energy comes from the petroleum that the plastic itself is made from, as well as the petroleum burned as energy in the manufacturing process.

It is possible to use a whole barrel of oil to make plastic, as the processes of cracking and reforming can turn any hydrocarbon into any other hydrocarbon.

The value of plastic vs oil

As of 2019, 9 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic every day worldwide. This is a slight increase from 2010, when the International Energy Agency estimated that 191 million barrels of oil were used to make plastic per year, which is around half a million barrels per day. The portion of oil that goes towards plastic production in Europe averages between 4% and 6%, while the worldwide average is around 6%.

The value of plastic is much greater than the value of petroleum burned for energy. This is because the processes of cracking and reforming can turn any hydrocarbon into any other hydrocarbon. So, if you need more light molecules to make a certain type of plastic or chemical, you can crack heavier molecules to make them. It works by heating hydrocarbons and mixing them with hydrogen gas in the presence of a catalyst.

However, it is worth noting that the cost of plastic may increase if the fuel use disappeared. This is because the cost of oil would likely increase if it were only being used for plastic production. Additionally, the U.S. Energy Information Administration does not track total oil-to-plastic usage domestically, so it is difficult to accurately assess the value of plastic vs oil.

The cost of using oil for plastic

As of 2019, 9 million barrels of oil are used to make plastics every day worldwide. This is a huge amount of oil, and it's unclear how much of this comes from the United States, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration doesn't track total oil-to-plastic usage domestically. In 2010, the International Energy Agency estimated that 191 million barrels of oil were used for plastic production annually, which is around half a million barrels a day.

The process of making plastic from oil is complex and involves extensive refining. Natural gas, for example, undergoes a process called steam cracking to turn it into plastic polymers. The amount of oil used to make plastic varies depending on the type of plastic and the manufacturing process.

However, some argue that using oil for plastic production is economically worthwhile. The value of plastic is often greater than the value of petroleum burned for energy, and the processes of cracking and reforming can turn any hydrocarbon into another, allowing for flexibility in the manufacturing process. Nonetheless, the environmental impact of using oil for plastic production cannot be overlooked, and the true cost may be much higher than the economic benefits.

The energy used to make a plastic bag

It takes a lot of energy to make a plastic bag. In fact, it takes 0.48 megajoules (MJ) of energy to produce a bag. To put that into context, 0.48 MJ is enough energy to heat a litre of water to boiling. This energy comes from the petroleum that the plastic is made from, as well as the petroleum burned as energy in the manufacturing process.

As of 2019, 9 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic every day worldwide. The International Energy Agency put the number at around 191 million barrels a year (around half a million a day) in 2010. It is unclear how much of this is used in the US, as the US Energy Information Administration doesn't track total oil-to-plastic usage domestically. However, we do know that across Europe, the portion of oil that goes towards plastic production averages between 4% and 6%.

The process of making plastic from oil involves extensive refining. Fossil fuels go through a process called steam cracking to turn them into the chemicals used to create plastic. The cracking and reforming processes can turn any hydrocarbon into any other hydrocarbon. So, if you need more light molecules to make a certain type of plastic, you can crack heavier molecules to make them.

Frequently asked questions