New crude benzene production capacity increases, prices may decline

Motor benzol (Motor benzol), also known as power benzene, mixed benzene, BTX fraction, etc., is a product of crude gas generated by coal pyrolysis. This product contains the highest benzene content. The density of crude benzene is 0.871~0.900. It is a colorless to light yellow volatile non-polar liquid. It is lighter than water, insoluble in water, has high refractive properties and a strong aroma.

Crude benzene is an intermediate obtained from coke oven gas. Its uses are relatively limited. It is mostly used for the deep processing of toluene, xylene, and pure benzene. It can also be used as a solvent for cosmetics, analytical reagents, etc., or for spices, dyes, plastics, Production of pharmaceuticals, explosives, rubber and other products. In terms of production, currently domestic crude benzene is mainly extracted from coke oven gas, so most of it is integrated production of coal tar. However, the crude benzene produced by this method has more impurities, and the added value of the product is low, so there are many coking plants. Directly produce benzene derivatives such as toluene, pure benzene, and xylene through refining and processing to increase their economic returns.

At present, domestic companies that produce crude benzene and carry out deep processing of crude benzene include chemical giants such as Sangang Minguang, Xingang Co., Ltd., Fangda Special Steel, Shaogang Songshan, Xinxing Cast Pipe, Baofeng Energy, and Hegang Co., Ltd., as well as Hebei Rongte Chemical Co., Ltd., Chongqing Zuoneng Chemical Co., Ltd., Zibo Linzi Hengxing Chemical Factory Co., Ltd., Shandong Leo New Energy Co., Ltd., Shanxi Lubao Xinghai New Materials Co., Ltd. and other large and medium-sized chemical companies. From the perspective of regional distribution, domestic crude benzene is mainly concentrated in Shandong, Shanxi, Northwest, Hebei and other places. Crude benzene is also produced in Henan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places, but the production scale is small. According to the “Crude Benzene Industry Market Status and Investment Prospects Forecast Report 2021-2026” released by the Industrial Research Center, in 2022 In the first half of the year, my country’s crude benzene output was 2.385 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 0.76%.

Since 2020, the price of crude oil in the international market has increased, which has had a negative impact on downstream crude benzene production. Coupled with the tightening of domestic environmental protection policies, chemical companies in Hebei and Shandong have mostly carried out environmental protection process transformation, either shut down for maintenance or partially restricted production. etc., causing the domestic crude benzene market to enter a long-term shock and decline trend. In July 2020, Shandong Zibo Hengxing Chemical’s 150,000 tons/year and hydrogenated benzene units were put into operation. In November 2022, Shanxi Shenglong TEDA New Energy Company’s annual production capacity of 1.92 million tons of coke and 25,000 tons of crude benzene production capacity projects entered construction, etc. , the commissioning of the above-mentioned new production capacity may increase the supply of crude benzene in my country and reverse the downward trend of crude benzene to a certain extent.

Industrial analysts people said that since 2018, domestic environmental protection policies have become stricter, and crude benzene production in Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, Henan and other regions has Affected, the growth of production capacity has slowed down, but the domestic market demand for crude benzene is still large, so it needs to be imported from abroad. Affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, international transportation has been restricted, and the rise in raw material prices has squeezed the profit margins of imported crude benzene to a certain extent, thereby affecting the supply of domestic crude benzene. In the future, as new domestic crude benzene production capacity is gradually released, the pace of overcapacity reduction slows down, and the transformation and upgrading process accelerates, the supply of crude benzene will rebound and its product prices may decline.