石油化學成立于1961年，提供了關于石油化學和加工的當前問題的理論和實驗研究的原始論文和評論，如原油和天然氣液體的化學組成；石油精煉(裂化、加氫裂化)；以及催化重整）；石化過程的催化劑（氫化、異構化、氧化、氫甲酰化等）；碳氫化合物和石油、天然氣及其他復雜有機混合物的其他組分的活化和催化轉化；包括潤滑油和添加劑在內的新型石化產品；環境問題；以及與這些領域有關的科學會議的信息。石油化學發表了前蘇聯科學界人士關于這些主題的文章。

Petroleum Chemistry (Neftekhimiya), founded in 1961, offers original papers on and reviews of theoretical and experimental studies concerned with current problems of petroleum chemistry and processing such as chemical composition of crude oils and natural gas liquids; petroleum refining (cracking, hydrocracking, and catalytic reforming); catalysts for petrochemical processes (hydrogenation, isomerization, oxidation, hydroformylation, etc.); activation and catalytic transformation of hydrocarbons and other components of petroleum, natural gas, and other complex organic mixtures; new petrochemicals including lubricants and additives; environmental problems; and information on scientific meetings relevant to these areas.Petroleum Chemistry publishes articles on these topics from members of the scientific community of the former Soviet Union.