Benzene 
Benzene is a natural component of crude oil and is a key building block for materials used in many industries.  Benzene, Toluene and Xylene are co-products in the distillation process. 


Upstream Building Blocks:

  • Liquid Petroleum Feed Stocks
    • Pyrolysis Gasoline (Pygas)
    • Naphtha
    • Gasoil
    • Condensates
    • Toluene/Xylene coproducts

Downstream Consumption:​​​

  • Top  Downstream Benzene Consumers:
    • Cumene (20% of global market to produce Acetone and Phenol)
    • Cyclohexane (10% of global market to produce Nylon)
  • All Downstream Benzene Consumers:
    • Acetone
    • Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS)
    • Adipic Acid
    • Alkylbenzenes 
    • Aniline
    • Anthraquinone
    • Benzene Hexachloride
    • Benzene Sulfonic Acid 
    • Bisphenol A (BPA)
    • Butyl Poly Styrene (BPS)
    • Caprolactam
    • Chlorobenzenes
    • Cumene
    • Cyclohexane
    • Epoxy Resins
    • Ethylbenzene (EB)
    • Gasoline (Fuel Blending)
    • Hydrogen Peroxide
    • Hydroquinone
    • Maleic Anhydride (MA)
    • Nitrobenzene
    • Nylon 6, Nylon 6-6
    • Phenol
    • Phenolic resins
    • Polycarbonates
    • Polyester Resins, Unsaturated
    • Polystyrene (PS)
    • Styrene
    • Styrene Acrylonitrile (SAN)
    • Styrene-Butadiene Copolymer latex
    • Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR)


Co-Products, also known as by-products and/or waste products, can have a huge impact on a commodity. In the co-product relationship, there is usually an economic driver, which means that production only occurs when the economic driver is in demand. In the Benzene, Toluene and Xylene (BTX) via catalytic reforming accounts for about 50% of benzene production. Fluctuations in demand for Toluene and Xylene can impact availability of Benzene.  

Toluene 

  • ​Benzyl Alcohol
  • Toluenesulfonic Acid
  • Chlorotoluene
  • Benzaldehyde
  • Benzoic Acid
  • Benzyl Bromide
  • Gasoline (octane booster)
  • Methylcyclohexane
  • Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI) (polyurethane precursor)
    • Co-product*
      • Hydrochloric acid co-product 
  • Co-Product 
    • Benzene 
    • Xylene

Xylene 

Terephthalic acid

Phthalic Anhydride

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

  Bottles and packaging

Polyester

 ESD Bags


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