Treatment of aromatic essences for the petrochemical industry.

Aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular benzene, toluene and xylenes, are major intermediates in petrochemicals, for the synthesis of resins, plasticizers and polyester fibers.

These aromatic products are produced in an industrial complex known as the "aromatic complex", using aromatic gasolines from refinery units (catalytic reforming or steam cracking). This petrochemical complex includes units for extracting and purifying aromatic products to very high purity levels (> 98%), as well as catalytic conversion units, in order to obtain target molecules that meet the needs of the petrochemical market.

In this dossier, we describe the different stages in the processing of aromatic essences within the aromatic complex, and the technologies involved.