Book excerpt: This unique reference is the only one-stop source for details on licensed petrochemical processes for the major organic chemicals, a $200 billion annual market. With chapters prepared by some of the largest petrochemical and petroleum companies in the world, Handbook of Petrochemicals Production Processes provides in-depth process detail for commercial evalutation and covers plastics and polymers such as ethylene and polyethylene; propylene; ehtylbenzene, styrene, and polystyrenes; vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride; and many others. This handbook answers questions on yields, unit operations, chemical and physical values, economics, and much more.