Digital Transformation in the Petrochemical Industry -- Challenges and Opportunities in the Implementation of {IoT} Technologies

The petrochemical industry faces significant technological, environmental, occupational safety, and financial challenges. Since its emergence in the 1920s, technologies that were once innovative have now become obsolete. However, factors such as the protection of trade secrets in industrial processes, limited budgets for research and development, doubts about the reliability of new technologies, and resistance to change from decision-makers have hindered the adoption of new approaches, such as the use of IoT devices. This paper addresses the challenges and opportunities presented by the research, development, and implementation of these technologies in the industry. It also analyzes the investment in research and development made by companies in the sector in recent years and provides a review of current research and implementations related to Industry 4.0.