WP Report
Butylenes
This World Petrochemical (WP) report on butylenes contains complete global and country supply/demand balances for the base year, the past five years and five- and ten-year projections. The complete report, including the analyses and supply/demand tables, contains approximately 206 pages. There is also a table showing all global producers, their locations, and capacities (current, historical and future) to produce butylenes, as well as capacities for derivative products.
Published January 2011
Abstract
Global production and consumption of butylenes in 2010 were both approximately 19.1 million metric tons. Global capacity utilization was 60.8% in 2010, a slight increase from 2009. Global butylenes consumption is estimated to have increased slightly in 2010, and is expected to grow an average of 2.3% per year from 2010 to 2015, with slower growth of around 1.3% per year from 2015 to 2020. Average global utilization rates are expected to remain in the 60s range throughout the forecast period.
Isobutylenes accounted for just over 75% of global butylenes consumption in 2010, with the balance used for n-butenes. Isobutylenes are used mostly for methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) production, as well as iso-octane, C4 gasoline alkylate, and ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE). n-Butenes are used for propylene, polyethylene, and secondary butyl alcohols. The average annual consumption growth rates for n-butenes will be much higher in the forecast period than those for isobutylenes, due largely to the anticipated decline of MTBE demand.