Results: Did you know? (Oil & Gas edition)
The Oil & Gas industry is huge and most people who think about it only consider gas/diesel as the outcomes of the industry. When oil gets expensive, all prices rise because gas at the pump is more expensive. When LNG gets expensive, energy is more expensive. But that's just part of the story.
1.
1.
Over 80% of the world's sulfur supply is a byproduct of oil refining and gas processing. Crude oil and natural gas naturally contain sulfur compounds, primarily Hydrogen Sulfide which needs to be removed in order to get "the good stuff". This is then treated and processed into Sulfuric Acid, which is commonly used as an indicator of a nation's industrial strength because it's used in so many places: Fertilizer Production (it is used to produce phosphate acid), Chemical Manufacturing (think detergents, pigments, explosives and plastics) Metal Processing/Mining (Copper, Aluminium), and Batteries (lead - acid batteries). Did you know Oil & Gas industry is responsible for the production of such a vital substance? Yes
31%
•
618 votes
No
42%
•
842 votes
Undecided
11%
•
228 votes
Not Applicable
16%
•
312 votes
2.
2.
Fertilizers. Outside of Sulfuric Acid which is used for phosphate fertilizers, the vast majority of nitrogen-based fertilizers (like Urea and Ammonium Nitrate) start with Natural Gas (Methane). This is not a "waste" byproduct in the sense of a contaminant, but rather a direct chemical feedstock. The final product is a solid fertilizer called urea which is easy to transport and apply to fields. Ammonium Sulfate is yet another fertilizer coming from oil and gas by combining ammonia (derived from natural gas) and sulfuric acid (from both oil and gas refining process). Did you know oil and gas has a direct (BENEFICIAL) role in the food you're eating every day? Yes
35%
•
709 votes
No
38%
•
759 votes
Undecided
11%
•
218 votes
Not Applicable
16%
•
314 votes
3.
3.
A more common use of Oil & Gas industry byproducts comes from plastics. From the dreaded plastic bag, to Lego's, to the plastic pipes under your sink, to the bottles Coca Cola (and everyone else) uses, to syringes, nylon and even bullet proof vests... you need Oil & Gas. Did you realize (I know you knew - but did you realize it?) plastic was used in these cases? Yes for plastic bags, shampoo bottles, tupperware containers...
52%
•
1038 votes
Yes for nylon and PET bottles
35%
•
697 votes
Yes for syringes and tubes for medical drips
36%
•
726 votes
Yes for smart pills that use polymers that dissolve in the stomach acid, heart valves
18%
•
350 votes
Yes for contact lenses
25%
•
498 votes
Yes for bullet proof vests
21%
•
419 votes
Yes for piping (network water pipes, kitchen piping...)
32%
•
641 votes
Yes for most of the stuff in airplanes and cars
28%
•
553 votes
Yes for Gore-Tex and energy-return foam used in high end shoes/sneakers.
22%
•
432 votes
Yes for Polyester clothing
28%
•
565 votes
Yes for money printing in many countries
15%
•
305 votes
Yes for cable insulation
26%
•
514 votes
Yes for smartphone screens
24%
•
482 votes
Other (please specify)
2%
•
33 votes
Not Applicable
35%
•
698 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
| All of the above | 0.07% | 5 |
| 0.04% | 3 | |
| yes for all | 0.03% | 2 |
| No | 0.03% | 2 |
| Did not realize so much was influenced by these products! | 0.01% | 1 |
| darn near everything, we are doomed | 0.01% | 1 |
| sadly, all of them | 0.01% | 1 |
| bandages | 0.01% | 1 |
| Yes, Yes,Yes | 0.01% | 1 |
| yes to all and more | 0.01% | 1 |
| Yes, and I realized it a VERY LONG time ago, too.... | 0.01% | 1 |
| toys | 0.01% | 1 |
| all the above | 0.01% | 1 |
| Too many microplastics | 0.01% | 1 |
| Most of the above | 0.01% | 1 |
| YES---TO ALL | 0.01% | 1 |
| no - I did not know | 0.01% | 1 |
| NOPE | 0.01% | 1 |
| Yes, for all | 0.01% | 1 |
| All above | 0.01% | 1 |
| yes to all | 0.01% | 1 |
| Some, yes and some, no. | 0.01% | 1 |
| Waste containers, toys, pens, | 0.01% | 1 |
| Yes, all of the above. I'm not going to sit here and check all those boxes. | 0.01% | 1 |
| all | 0.01% | 1 |
4.
4.
Often ignored because it's literally "underfoot," bitumen (asphalt) is the heavy, black, viscous byproduct left at the very bottom of the distillation tower. Did you realize your roads depend on oil & gas industry too? Yes
48%
•
951 votes
No
22%
•
449 votes
Undecided
9%
•
188 votes
Not Applicable
21%
•
412 votes
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