WP Report
Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE)
This World Petrochemical (WP) report on MTBE 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 125 pages. There is also a table showing all global producers, their locations, and capacities (current, historical and future) to produce MTBE, as well as capacities for derivative products.
Published January 2011
Abstract
Global production and consumption of MTBE in 2010 were each approximately 13.1 million metric tons. Global capacity utilization was 77% in 2010, a slight increase from 75% in 2009 due to the closure of MTBE capacity. MTBE consumption is estimated to have decreased by almost 2% in 2010; it is expected to continue to decline an average of almost 0.4% per year from 2010 to 2015. Demand from 2015 to 2020 is expected to increase slightly, around 0.2% per year. Depending on how much MTBE capacity is shut down in the future, as demand continues to shrink, operating rates may remain in the low-80s range during the next ten years.
MTBE is used primarily as a gasoline additive, used to boost the octane value. Gasoline blending (oxygenate) accounts for the vast majority of global MTBE consumption. It is also used to make isobutylene.