化(hua)(hua)(hua)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)是(shi)“化(hua)(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)艺”、“化(hua)(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)业”、“化(hua)(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)”等的(de)(de)(de)简(jian)称。凡运用化(hua)(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)(xue)方(fang)法改变(bian)物质(zhi)组成、结构或合成新(xin)物质(zhi)的(de)(de)(de)技术，都属于化(hua)(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)(xue)生(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)技术，也就是(shi)化(hua)(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)艺，所得产(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)品(pin)被称为(wei)化(hua)(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)(xue)品(pin)或化(hua)(hua)(hua)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)产(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)品(pin)。起初，生(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)这(zhei)类(lei)产(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)品(pin)的(de)(de)(de)是(shi)手工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)作(zuo)坊(fang)，后来演变(bian)为(wei)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)厂，并逐渐形成了一(yi)个特定(ding)的(de)(de)(de)生(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)行业即化(hua)(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)业。化(hua)(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)是(shi)研(yan)究化(hua)(hua)(hua)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)产(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)品(pin)生(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)过程(cheng)共性规律的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)门科学(xue)(xue)(xue)。人(ren)类(lei)与化(hua)(hua)(hua)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)的(de)(de)(de)关系十分密切，有些化(hua)(hua)(hua)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)产(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)品(pin)在人(ren)类(lei)发展历史中，起着划时(shi)代的(de)(de)(de)重要作(zuo)用，它们的(de)(de)(de)生(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)(chan)和应用，甚(shen)至代表(biao)着人(ren)类(lei)文明的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)定(ding)历史阶段。

人类为了求得生存和发展(zhan)，不(bu)断地与大自(zi)然(ran)作斗争，逐步地加(jia)深(shen)了对周(zhou)围(wei)世界(jie)的(de)认(ren)识，从而掌(zhang)握了征(zheng)服自(zi)然(ran)、改造(zao)世界(jie)的(de)本(ben)领。经(jing)过漫长的(de)历史实践，人类越发善于利用自(zi)然(ran)条(tiao)件(jian)，并且为自(zi)己创造(zao)了丰富的(de)物质世界(jie)。

古代人们(men)的(de)(de)(de)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)活更多地依赖于(yu)直接利用，或(huo)(huo)从(cong)中(zhong)提取所需要的(de)(de)(de)东西(xi)。由于(yu)这些(xie)(xie)物质的(de)(de)(de)固(gu)有(you)性能(neng)满足不了(le)人们(men)的(de)(de)(de)需求，便产(chan)(chan)(chan)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)了(le)各种加工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)技术(shu)，把天然物质转变成(cheng)(cheng)具有(you)多种性能(neng)的(de)(de)(de)新物质，并(bing)且逐步在工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)业(ye)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)的(de)(de)(de)规(gui)模(mo)上付诸(zhu)实现。起初，生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)这类(lei)产(chan)(chan)(chan)品的(de)(de)(de)是(shi)手工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)作坊，后(hou)来演变为工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)厂，并(bing)逐渐形成(cheng)(cheng)了(le)一个特定的(de)(de)(de)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)部(bu)门，即化(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)业(ye)。随着生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)力(li)的(de)(de)(de)发(fa)(fa)展(zhan)，有(you)些(xie)(xie)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)部(bu)门，如冶金、炼(lian)油(you)、造纸(zhi)、制革等，已作为独立的(de)(de)(de)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)部(bu)门从(cong)化(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)业(ye)中(zhong)划分出来。当大(da)规(gui)模(mo)石油(you)炼(lian)制工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)业(ye)和(he)(he)石油(you)化(hua)(hua)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)蓬勃发(fa)(fa)展(zhan)之(zhi)后(hou)，以(yi)化(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)、物理(li)学(xue)(xue)、数学(xue)(xue)为基础并(bing)结合其他工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)(cheng)技术(shu)，研究化(hua)(hua)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)过程(cheng)(cheng)的(de)(de)(de)共同规(gui)律，解决规(gui)模(mo)放大(da)和(he)(he)大(da)型化(hua)(hua)中(zhong)出现的(de)(de)(de)诸(zhu)多工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)(cheng)技术(shu)问题的(de)(de)(de)学(xue)(xue)科(ke)--化(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)(cheng)进(jin)一步完善了(le)。它把化(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)业(ye)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)提高到一个新水平，从(cong)经验或(huo)(huo)半经验状态进(jin)入理(li)论(lun)和(he)(he)预测的(de)(de)(de)新阶(jie)段（见化(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)(cheng)发(fa)(fa)展(zhan)史），使化(hua)(hua)学(xue)(xue)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)业(ye)以(yi)其更大(da)规(gui)模(mo)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)产(chan)(chan)(chan)的(de)(de)(de)创造能(neng)力(li)，为人类(lei)增添大(da)量物质财(cai)富(fu)，加快了(le)人类(lei)社会发(fa)(fa)展(zhan)的(de)(de)(de)进(jin)程(cheng)(cheng)。

在(zai)现代汉语中，化(hua)学工(gong)业、化(hua)学工(gong)程(cheng)和化(hua)学工(gong)艺都简称为化(hua)工(gong)，它们(men)出现于不(bu)同(tong)历史时期，各(ge)有不(bu)同(tong)涵义，却又关(guan)系密切，互(hu)相(xiang)渗(shen)透。在(zai)人们(men)头脑里，“化(hua)工(gong)”这(zhei)个词，习惯上已成为一(yi)个总的知识门类(lei)和事业的代名词，它在(zai)国民经济(ji)和工(gong)程(cheng)技(ji)术上所(suo)具有的重要意义，引起了人们(men)广泛(fan)的兴趣，吸引着(zhe)成千上万的人，为之献出毕生精力(li)。下面(mian)简要地(di)从人类(lei)社会生活的各(ge)个方面(mian)，来说明化(hua)工(gong)绚丽多彩的内容及其重要贡献。

从数据(ju)来看(kan)，2013年1~4月，我(wo)国的原(yuan)油(you)加工量为(wei)15868.3万(wan)吨，同(tong)比(bi)增(zeng)(zeng)长(zhang)3.2%；乙烯产(chan)(chan)量为(wei)529.8万(wan)吨，同(tong)比(bi)增(zeng)(zeng)长(zhang)3.0%；合成(cheng)树(shu)脂产(chan)(chan)量为(wei)1851.8万(wan)吨，同(tong)比(bi)增(zeng)(zeng)长(zhang)9.8%；合成(cheng)纤(xian)维单体产(chan)(chan)量为(wei)736.8万(wan)吨，同(tong)比(bi)增(zeng)(zeng)长(zhang)1.4%；合成(cheng)橡胶产(chan)(chan)量为(wei)132.1万(wan)吨，同(tong)比(bi)增(zeng)(zeng)长(zhang)7.4%。乙烯产(chan)(chan)量扭转了负增(zeng)(zeng)长(zhang)，但(dan)增(zeng)(zeng)速很低，三大(da)合成(cheng)也(ye)都(dou)低速增(zeng)(zeng)长(zhang)。

石化(hua)各主要子行业(ye)的盈利(li)状况基本呈现(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)小幅反弹(dan)。其中，有(you)机化(hua)学(xue)原(yuan)料制(zhi)造(zao)业(ye)实现(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)主营(ying)(ying)业(ye)务收入4322.18亿(yi)元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)，同(tong)(tong)比(bi)增长(zhang)15.2%，实现(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)利(li)润总(zong)(zong)额(e)(e)111.00亿(yi)元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)，同(tong)(tong)比(bi)增长(zhang)2.3%；合(he)(he)成(cheng)树(shu)脂制(zhi)造(zao)业(ye)实现(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)主营(ying)(ying)业(ye)务收入2427.01亿(yi)元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)，同(tong)(tong)比(bi)增长(zhang)13.5%，实现(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)利(li)润总(zong)(zong)额(e)(e)80.31亿(yi)元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)，同(tong)(tong)比(bi)增长(zhang)11.9%；合(he)(he)成(cheng)橡胶制(zhi)造(zao)业(ye)实现(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)主营(ying)(ying)业(ye)务收入388.33亿(yi)元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)，同(tong)(tong)比(bi)增长(zhang)24.9%，实现(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)利(li)润总(zong)(zong)额(e)(e)21.70亿(yi)元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)，同(tong)(tong)比(bi)增长(zhang)17.2%；合(he)(he)成(cheng)纤维单体（聚(ju)合(he)(he)）制(zhi)造(zao)业(ye)实现(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)主营(ying)(ying)业(ye)务收入946.06亿(yi)元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)，同(tong)(tong)比(bi)下(xia)降4.4%，实现(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)利(li)润总(zong)(zong)额(e)(e)-6.20亿(yi)元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)。

从各(ge)主要子行业看(kan)，合(he)成(cheng)纤维单体(ti)（聚合(he)）制造(zao)(zao)业由于受到棉花价格大(da)幅下降等因(yin)素的(de)影(ying)响，行业出现亏损。有(you)机化学原料制造(zao)(zao)业和合(he)成(cheng)树脂制造(zao)(zao)业两个最大(da)的(de)子行业的(de)盈利水平也反弹乏力(li)，这在很大(da)程度上(shang)反映(ying)出了经济基本(ben)面偏冷。

从2013年的(de)情(qing)况来看(kan)，虽然原油价格稳(wen)定在100美元/桶（布伦特）上下，对(dui)于整(zheng)(zheng)个石(shi)化产业(ye)(ye)链还是比较有利的(de)，但是，由(you)于实体经济的(de)持续(xu)走(zou)弱而导致的(de)需求端下降趋势，将对(dui)整(zheng)(zheng)个行(xing)业(ye)(ye)形(xing)成冲(chong)击。固定资产投资增速将会下降，装臵(ge)开工率(lv)会下降，行(xing)业(ye)(ye)的(de)经济活度会下降，化工的(de)下降周期(qi)将变得漫长且(qie)底部(bu)无法明(ming)确。