Negative effects of Petrochemical engineering to the environment
Introduction
In the 1920s and 1930s, while the rest of the world was relying on coal as the essential source of organic starting materials, the United States was blazing the trail of oil-based chemicals. Carbon black, used in the tire industry and based on oil, was an American monopoly. Isopropyl alcohol, obtained through propylene hydration, was produced in the Bay way unit of Standard Oil of New Jersey. In 1930 in California, Shell started to produce hydrogen from natural gas, then butyl alcohols and methyl ethyl ketone from nbutylenes, while in 1925 in South Carolina, Union Carbide began producing a whole series of aliphatic derivatives, especially glycols, from petroleum gases. The spectacular development of petrochemicals in the United States after 1940 was due to two factors. On the one hand the synthetic rubber program required increasing amounts of butadiene and styrene. On the other hand improved refining technologies to obtain aviation gasoline also opened the way to the production of other feedstock chemicals. The ethylene used to prepare styrene via ethyl benzene was produced either from refinery gases or from naphtha steam cracking carried out by Standard Oil of New Jersey in Baton Rouge, from 1941 on. Butadiene came from the dehydrogenation of cat cracker butylene or, since 1943, from butane cracking (1991).
In 1945, the United States produced 820,000 tons of synthetic rubber accounting for nearly 50 percent of the country’s petrochemicals production. The petrochemicals industry spilled over into Canada also. Synthetic rubber units set up in Sarnia, Canada produced 45,700 tons in 1945. The Americans themselves were of two minds about how vigorously to pursue petrochemicals. Synthetic rubber production fell below 400, 000 tons in 1949; and half the GRS units had been closed down. Europeans needed to rebuild their refineries before they could think about substituting petrochemicals for their traditional coal-based chemicals. But, with the end of the U.S. slump of 1948-1949 and with new needs emerging in Europe in solvents and polymers, petrochemicals became universally recognized as an essential source of organic base products 1991).
Over the last few years, the high cost of installations and of the money needed to finance them was not conducive to the building of new plants on any large scale in industrialized countries. But as demand trends have been moving upwards lately, petrochemicals have at long last returned to profitability. The specialties rush of chemical leaders is, on the contrary, more likely than not to produce a surfeit of products, at least insofar as some specialties are concerned. These will shed their added value, and consequently lose their attraction for the too numerous industry leaders that had decided to follow that path. Other disappointments are likely to come from the organizational and managerial differences between a purchaser and the specialties firm acquired (1991). The many divestments that have often followed upon hasty acquisitions show how difficult it is to force on an entrepreneurial company the management methods of a large multinational. It is not certain that the errors of the past will not be repeated in the future. The thirst for power could indeed lead some company heads to over invest, especially if they have public funds at their disposal. They would then recreate the over capacities that have been so harmful to fertilizer, petrochemicals, synthetic fibers, and plastic producers over the last few years. It is also likely that specialties will continue to attract industry leaders anxious to develop fresh prospects (1991). The paper is a proposal of the negative effects of Petrochemical engineering to the environment.
Problem of the study
The fastest growing part of the chemicals industry was petrochemicals, an industry which developed in the interwar years out of the technological convergence of the oil and chemical industries. Initially it was an almost exclusively US industry: in 1950, 98 percent of world production of ethylene, a key petrochemical product, was located in the United States. Subsequently, the petrochemicals industry grew exponentially with surging demand from the automobile, textile and construction industries, the growing use of synthetic materials, and falling costs of petroleum raw materials. World ethylene capacity grew twenty-six-fold between 1950 and 1970. While in 1950, 98 percent of this capacity was in the United States, by 1970 the share of the United States was 48 percent, Europe 33 percent and Japan 14 percent. More than one-third of world ethylene capacity outside the United States and Japan was foreign-owned in 1970 (2005). Before World War II, the American chemical industry consisted of a diverse collection of technologies that served a broad spectrum of markets. The rapid development of petrochemicals and polymers in the war and immediate postwar years attracted the attention of the entire industry as well as outsiders. The investment of enormous sums in developing new polymers and dramatically expanding the production and marketing of older ones led the chemical companies to neglect older businesses, such as dyes and other specialty chemicals, and to limit the extent of diversification (1993).
Petrochemicals Engineering is important for the production of the much needed petrochemicals. Petrochemicals are needed by different equipments that are part of people’s daily lives. Petrochemicals are one of the influential sources of man made energy. For countries and businesses petrochemicals serve not only as sources of their energy but in serves as sources of income. The use of petrochemical might be acknowledged as something connected with human beings’ existence but few people realize that although Petrochemicals bring many good things to society and business it may bring negative impact to the environment. The study will focus on the negative effects of Petrochemical engineering to the environment.
Statement of the study
There are different benefits of Petrochemicals to society but it has also created negative problems for the environment. The study will try to determine the different negative effects of petrochemical engineering to the environment. This study is being proposed as a response to calls for environmental concerns as well. This study is also constructed to further understand Petrochemical engineering. The different information that will be acquired by the study will be helpful in providing a conclusion on why Petrochemical may not be always a good thing.
Objectives of the study
While the research questions only refer to the information that the researcher intended to question. The objectives, however, will focus on the necessary problems and objectives that should be clarified in order to gather the intended information and also be able to derive specific information that are not limited by the previous questions. With these objectives, the study will be able to attain the necessary information that can help derive further conclusions and proper recommendations. The study intends to determine the negative effects of petrochemical engineering to the environment. The study intends to get the appropriate data to help in making the proper assessment. The study intends to make sure that questions on effects of petrochemical engineering will be answered. There are other aims and objectives of the study. This includes:
Literature Review
Business and the environment
Businesses have different relationship with the environment. These relationships can be based on different instances and situation. The relationship of business and the environment can be divided on different things. First, business activities have an impact on the environment. This occurs through pollution, the modification of ecosystems, introducing exotic species and chemical compounds, genetic engineering and irreversible physical changes-the sorts of impacts widely reported in the popular press and television. The ways in which land has been used, particularly for agriculture and forestry, are a reflection of the way in which the commercial pressures of business have changed the physical landscape ( 2001) Business affects the environment in a variety of ways both deliberate and accidental. Most of the effects are usually seen as detrimental, although increasingly people see some business activity improving the environment. Second, but less obvious, are the impacts the environment has on business. Changes in climate have led to changes in business activity. Depleting resources or physical limitations on the use of some materials have changed patterns of exploitation and their uses. Changing environmental conditions have led to the birth of new industries (2001).
Third, business activities are influenced by environmental concerns. It is hard to identify a business where environmental concerns have no impact on its operations. For most businesses, environmental issues are less important than other external influences such as the state of the economy or the behavior of its competitors. For some, which are close to the environment such as agriculture or tourism, the impacts can be at the top of their agenda. Environmental legislation, customer attitudes to the environment along with direct actions by environmental groups are among the most obvious influences which can be grouped together under the umbrella term of environmentalism. Environmentalism has a considerable impact on many individual businesses. Businesses are increasingly aware of public pressure to have due regard for the environment and now many have corporate policies that are either sympathetic, or pro-active, to environmental aims (2001). The way in which business behavior has been influenced and modified, as a result of the influence of environmentalism, is something that will be developed more than other relationships in this book. Fourth, business has worked hard to influence public opinion about the environment. While many such actions can be seen merely as window dressing, we shall see that many business opportunities have been seized to pro-actively develop products and services resulting in environmental improvement. Business has actively promoted some of its activities in terms of the environmental benefits they have brought (2001). The environment will always be one of the first things that will be affected by business activities.
Significance of the study
With the establishment of the purpose given, this study may be of importance to the purpose that have been discussed By fulfilling the aims that were stated in the previous section, this study will be helpful for other researchers who may be focusing on the different customer orientated strategies, and innovation being ultimately destructive to the principles of sustainability or of other areas especially with regards to the method of gathering the information. Such data will hopefully be helpful for researchers in establishing their own means of conducting their study. As such, the notable significance of this study is the possibility that it may be able to use the findings for the other studies that may wish to analyze the factors for the success or demise of a particular study. The methods that this study will take must also be credible and help researchers in knowing how to look for particular information and know how to analyze them. It is through this that researchers will then be able to find out how they will be able to focus on their particular investigation and also know the possible methods that they may choose in the possible time that they may choose to already conduct their study. Thus, another significance of this study is to serve as a guide for researches that focus on the analysis of the negative effects of petrochemical engineering to the environment.
Scope of the study
The study intends to determine the negative effects of petrochemical engineering to the environment. The scope of the study is on petrochemical engineering, its effects and what are the effects of such to the environment. The study limits itself on gathering information from people involved in petrochemical engineering. The study limits itself to interviewing most probably 50 or more respondents to minimize the time and expenses that will be used in the study. By having lesser people as respondents the researcher will not waste time in interviewing more people that has different ideas and concepts. The researcher will also not have a hard time in spending more for materials and other forms.
Theoretical Framework
Conjecture is necessarily situated in a theory or it cannot be interpreted. Theory, such as intellectual development theory, social organizational theory, or cognitive theory, relates the conjecture to other aspects of education or mathematics. Whatever the particular theoretical aspect of the conjecture is, it serves to structure the activities and methodologies in the teaching experiment. In relation to the conjecture, the theory helps to weave together the content and pedagogical dimensions (2000). A critical element of the theoretical framework is a careful review and analysis of the existing literature. Seldom, if ever, does a robust conjecture fall full-blown from the sky. Usually it comes from a thoughtful and critical review of the literature to discern an anomaly that has been overlooked, unsolved, or addressed inadequately by one’s colleagues. As a result, a theoretical discussion should funnel one from a broad set of theoretical claims to the specifics of the content to be imparted and how the conjecture is situated in that literature (2000). Petrochemical engineering maybe the cause of ruined ecosystem and increase in the worsening situation of global warming of the planet. Petrochemical engineering might be causing global warming to worsen. The assumption that comes out from this is petrochemical engineering should be moderated or re evaluated. The mentioned effects of petrochemical engineering are part of the issues that will be verified. The paper will try to prove or disprove these thoughts on the effects of petrochemical engineering.
Data Collection
Type of research
This study will use the descriptive type of research. Descriptive method of research is to gather information about the present existing condition. The purpose of employing this method is to describe the nature of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the cause/s of particular phenomena (1994). This research is partly based on quantitative research method. This allowed for an investigation of important new issues and questions as they arose. In addition, this study also employed partly qualitative research method, since this research intends to find theories that would explain the relationship of one variable with another variable through qualitative elements in research. These qualitative elements are behavior, attitudes, opinions, and beliefs. The study opted to use this kind of research considering the goal of the study to obtain first hand data from the respondents so as to formulate rational and sound conclusions and recommendations for the study.
Research Strategy
For this research data will be gathered through collating published studies from different books, articles from different related journals and studies, and other literary instruments. The next thing that will be done is to make a content analysis of the collected documentary and verbal material. The study will then summarize all the necessary information. By summarizing it additional knowledge of the study will be imparted to the researcher. The study will then make a conclusion based on the said information.
Data Collection and Analysis
The study shall use survey using questionnaires and interviews to gather pertinent data. Moreover, the study shall also use previous studies and compare it to its existing data in order to provide conclusions and competent recommendations. Survey can be done either by personal survey, telephone survey, self administered questionnaire, mailed questionnaire, and email questionnaire.
Primary and Secondary data
The primary source of data will come from a survey using questionnaire and interviews conducted by the researcher. The primary data frequently gives the detailed definitions of terms and statistical units used in the survey. These are usually broken down into finer classifications. The primary source of data will give actual responses from people who encounter different kinds of things. This kind of data will give a further understanding of the situation. The secondary source of data will come from research through the internet; books, journals, related studies and other sources of information. Acquiring secondary data are more convenient to use because they are already condensed and organized. This kind of data can be found anywhere and at any time that is needed. Moreover, analysis and interpretation using the secondary source of data can be done more easily.
Sampling
To determine the number of respondents that will be asked to participate and give information regarding the study random sampling will be used. The participants are different people working in petrochemical industry or those involved in petrochemical engineering. As much as possible the respondents should at least have been serving in the industry within a year so that accurate data can be achieved.
Data analysis
Data gathered will be analyzed through frequency distributions. These will give way to reviewing the data categories and the number of referrals in each category. With relation to data analysis, the indicators that will be used in evaluating the study include the age of the respondent; the social status; the educational attainment of the respondents; the position of the respondents in the company and the number of years the respondent served as an employee of the industry.
Plan
The study will initially gather information that will serve as introductory part of the study. These kind of information helps the reader what the study is about, what it intends to do and what will be its result. The study will then gather related literature to prove the need for conducting the study. The literature review can help in determining what are the studies already done, what study needs to be corrected. The study will then determine the methods and means for data to be gathered and analyzed. In this part the data is being readied to be gathered and analyzed but the method to gather it will first be determined. The next part of the study is gathering, presenting and interpreting the data. In this part the validity of the hypothesis and ideas about the study will be proven. The last part of the study will be the part where conclusions and recommendations will be stated. In this part final statement about the study will be done.
Time frame
The first thing to be done is to collect necessary data and information. This includes colleting data from primary and secondary sources. Within this time frame the questionnaire has been formulated and ready for use, the survey will be conducted to the respondents. After gathering such data the next thing to be done is analyzing it to use it in the study. This will be done for a month. The next activity is formulating the first two chapters. Within the said activity the data is integrated with the research, and the related literature is included. This will be done in 2 weeks. The next activity is formulating the last few chapters of the study wherein the data gathered from the survey is integrated and the analysis of the data is included in the research. This will be done for at least 3 weeks to ensure that the study is done well. The last activity is finalizing the paper and preparation to present the result of the study.
Hypothesis
Hypothesis testing is a complex process. Breaking it down into small steps makes it easier to understand how it works. With practice, each of the steps, and then the whole procedure, becomes clear. That practice should begin with trying to understand how each step is related to successive steps, and why each step is necessary in hypothesis testing. Your understanding of hypothesis testing will be complete when you understand how errors are made, and how the probability of making errors can be reduced (1996). The following are the hypothesis for the study. One hypothesis for the study is that petrochemical engineering can worsen the environmental problems. Another hypothesis for the study is that petrochemical engineering can be moderated so that its effects will be minimized. Moreover a hypothesis for the study is there are new discoveries made that can be used as a substitute for petrochemical engineering. Lastly a hypothesis for the study is there can be alternative sources of energy that can be used as replacements for petrochemicals
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