China’s 1-pentene industry is about to achieve large-scale production, which may have an impact on imported products

1-Pentene is a chemical substance with the molecular formula C5H10. It is a colorless liquid with a foul odor. 1-Pentene is mainly used to produce 1,2-pentanediol and further produce the fungicide propiconazole. 1-Pentene is also used in the synthesis of high-end cosmetic additives, spices, etc.; 1-Pentene can be used in organic synthesis and manufacturing. Take isoprene; as an oil additive, 1-pentene can increase the octane number of the oil and enhance the anti-explosion property of the oil.

From the perspective of industry development, although 1-pentene has many application fields, the actual market demand is relatively limited, which to a large extent limits the industrial production and industry development of 1-pentene. Currently, only Sasol in South Africa can produce and supply 1-pentene products on a large scale in the world. The main source of 1-pentene in the domestic market is imported Sasol products.

From the perspective of domestic market demand, China, as a major pesticide producer, has certain propiconazole production capabilities, which provides an industrial foundation and market environment for the development of the 1-pentene industry. More importantly, as global consumption upgrades, cosmetics and their additives tend to be high-end, becoming an important driving force for the development of the 1-pentene industry in the direction of high added value. Although the market size of 1-pentene is still small, its development potential may continue to be released in the future. According to the release of the “2023-2027 1-Pentene Industry In-depth Market Research and Investment Strategy Suggestions Report“, in 2022, China 1-Pentene consumption is 4250 tons.

From the perspective of local industry development, Shanghai Pelco Chemical Materials Co., Ltd. broke through the large-scale production technology of 1-pentene earlier. Its production line began construction in Qidong, Jiangsu in 2013. It was completed and started trial production in 2016. In 2018 In April, the production safety license was obtained, with a production capacity of 1,200 tons/year. In 2021, Shanghai Pelco Chemical Materials Co., Ltd. will resell the 1-pentene it developed to Shaoxing Besme Chemical Co., Ltd. Based on this process package, Shaoxing Besme Chemical Co., Ltd. is building an annual production capacity of 4,000 Ton of 1-pentene production line is expected to be completed and put into operation in November 2023. After the above-mentioned technology transfer, Shanghai Pelco Chemical Materials Co., Ltd. gave up the production of 1-pentene.

Analysts believe that in the future, China’s 1-pentene industry will achieve large-scale production, and due to limited market capacity, it will be difficult to attract large-scale production. With many capital and related companies involved in the 1-pentene industry, Besme may become the only 1-pentene manufacturer in China for a long time. From the perspective of market competition, Besme’s entry into the market may compete with imported Sasol products, which may impact the domestic sales volume and price of Sasol’s 1-pentene products. From the perspective of industrial development and technological evolution, with the implementation of policies related to “clean and efficient utilization of coal” and the construction of related projects, the coal-to-olefins industry may accelerate development. As a by-product of coal-to-olefins, 1-pentene extraction, preparation and application may receive more attention.