化学工业耗用烃类少于整个烃类消费量的5%,但不远的未来仍需要这些原材料。预计石油和天然气生产在2020年后某一时期将达到峰值。假设化学加工仍优先需用烃类,能源公司为满足这一需求将面临新的挑战。在本世纪初叶,可再生的生物资源将为化学工业提供大多数原材料。这将包括林业、渔业、动物饲养业和农业副产物。从某种意义业说,增加对这类原材料的依赖将成为必然。从长期看,生物炼油厂可生产宽范围的下游化学品、燃料和其他产品。据催化剂集团资源公司 The chemical industry consumes less than 5% of the total hydrocarbon consumption, but these materials are still needed in the near future. Oil and gas production is expected to peak sometime after 2020. Assuming chemical processing still requires hydrocarbons, energy companies will face new challenges to meet this demand. By the turn of the century, renewable biological resources will provide most of the raw materials for the chemical industry. This will include forestry, fisheries, animal husbandry and agricultural by-products. In a sense, it is inevitable to increase dependence on such raw materials. In the long run, biorefineries can produce a wide range of downstream chemicals, fuels and other products. According to Catalyst Group Resources Inc.