Study of Global Toluene Market

摘要

Whether it is for polyure-thane plastics, including PUR adhesives, or for fuel additives, solvents or even for explosives, toluene is required in a wide variety of applications. A new study by Ceresana analyses the global market for this petrochemical. Toluene is an aromatic hydrocarbon and is produced as a by-product of crude oil processing. The main application for toluene is the production of other chemicals: in 2013, about 56 percent of all the toluene produced was converted into benzene and xylene. Hydrogen dealkyla-tion (HDA process) yields benzene, while toluene dis-proportionation (TDP process) and transalkylation of toluene can be used to produce both benzene and xylene. The main reason for xylene being of commercial interest is the strong increase in global demand for parax-ylene. Paraxylene is mainly processed into terephthalic acid (TPA), which in turn is largely utilised to manufacture polyesters or PET plastics. The largest sales market for these is polyester fibres. This industrial sector has experienced a significant boom in recent years, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. In the meantime, this region accounts for almost 80 percent of global demand for paraxylene.