Re:When oil is no longer in demand
by handedness on Wednesday November 30, 2016 @11:47PM
(#13077247)
Notice how food storage boxes changed considerably in the last few years? It's because they're derived from shale byproducts that are essentially free, if not cost-negative.
There's an irony in that we have an overabundance of natural gas due to shale, but oil itself is becoming far less important to the plastics industry than ever before.
Re:When oil is no longer in demand
by tim333 on Thursday December 01, 2016 @05:33AM
(#13078504)
I think plastics have been produced mostly from natural gas rather than oil for many years. Ethane & methane are an easier starting point for making polyethylene et al than the varied hydrocarbons in oil.
There's an irony in that we have an overabundance of natural gas due to shale, but oil itself is becoming far less important to the plastics industry than ever before.
Related viewing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyfVTBI4dgA