Benzene is a chemical compound (C₆H₆) essentially composed of hydrogen and carbon, classified as an aromatic hydrocarbon. It has a sweet odor and is usually a flammable colorless or light-yellow liquid. 

Benzene is formed through both natural and human-caused processes. Volcanic eruptions and forest fires contribute to increasing benzene emissions in the atmosphere, and the chemical is also a natural component of crude oil and gasoline extracted from fossil fuels underground.

One of the twenty most-produced chemicals in the United States, benzene is primarily used for plastic/lubricant manufacturing and in petroleum industries. It is released via gasoline fumes, automobile exhaust, factory emissions, and oil refinery effluents.

Hydrocarbons are organic chemical compounds only composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms, and usually consist of colorless gases with weak or no odors. They are classified into four main categories: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene is an aromatic hydrocarbon, as mentioned previously).

Hydrocarbons are highly combustible and produce carbon dioxide, water, and heat emissions. They are found in natural sources such as coal, crude oil, and natural gas, all of which are fossil fuels highly utilized in petroleum industries.

Many of these compounds are found in porous rock formations, such as sandstone, limestone, and shale. These underwater geographic features are trapped in large bodies of water, including ocean reservoirs. Several natural oil and gas companies use advanced engineering techniques to extract hydrocarbons from the ocean for human use. Hydrocarbons are responsible for over 80% of global energy consumption.

Benzene is a highly-common chemical in the petroleum industry due to being a crucial component in crude oil. It is used in the manufacturing processes of several organic chemicals, often as a starting material or intermediary.

Benzene plays a major role in the production of dyes, drugs, insecticides, plastic, nylon, and resin. Over fifty percent of industrial benzene use in the United States is primarily for the production of ethylbenzene and isopropylbenzene, which is used in the making of phenol. It is also a naturally-occurring component of crude oil, and is utilized as a fuel additive in gasoline to increase octane levels.