Nearly all the ethylbenzene (EB) produced is used in the manufacture of styrene monomer (SM) with the remainder, at less than 1%, used in solvent applications. In addition, most of the EB is used captively, leaving a small merchant market for the product. Hence, EB demand runs in parallel to that of styrene. 
The main uses for styrene include polystyrene (PS), expandable polystyrene (EPS), styrene copolymers (such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins, styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) and styrene-butadiene latexes), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and unsaturated polyester resins. The markets for many of these products have become mature in the developed world and demand has become sensitive to economic growth.
Historically, global EB/SM demand has grown at around 4-5%/year and it is expected to continue at a slightly slower 3.5-4%/year, according to consultants’ estimates. SRI Consulting estimates that world EB demand will reach 35.5m tonnes in 2011.
However, the global EB/SM market is undergoing a transformation. The growth in demand will continue to be in China and will be supported by new EB/SM capacity in the Middle East and northeast Asia. In addition, the Middle East will meet the majority of the growth in China at the expense of North America.
In western Europe, long term growth in demand is estimated at 1-2%/year while growth in eastern Europe is expected to be a healthier 3-4%/year. Little new capacity is planned with Europe long in product. PKN Orlen with Dwory plans to construct a 120,000 tonnes/year EB unit at Plock, Poland due for completion in the first half of 2009. The reconstruction of the Pancevo refinery near Belgrade in Serbia could result in 130,000 tonnes/year of EB capacity in 2009.
US domestic demand for EB is expected to grow at around 3%/year through to 2010. According to ICB Americas, US demand will grow from 5.80m tonnes in 2006 to 6.51m tonnes in 2010. In 2006, both imports and exports of EB were negligible.
However, North America’s strong export position in styrene is expected to decline substantially as new capacity comes on-stream in the Middle East and northeast Asia, and North American producers may have to defend their domestic market from imports of styrene and styrene derivatives.
Significant growth in EB/SM demand in China and other developing countries is expected to be met by new capacity in the Middle East and northeast Asia. Projects in the Middle East include: a 850,000 tonnes/year EB plant being built by Jubail Chevron Phillips in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, due for completion in 2008; Kuwait Styrene’s 500,000 tonnes/year EB unit at Shuaiba due for start-up in the first half of 2009; and Iran’s Pars Petrochemical’s 645,000 tonnes/year EB project at Assaluyeh that has slipped from its 2006 start-up date to 2007.
Other projects are also being planned in the Middle East. Chevron Phillips is studying a third joint venture EB/SM project at Al Jubail, called National Chevron Phillips, for start-up in 2010-2011 while Persian Gulf Petrochemicals is considering a 390,000 tonnes/year EB unit at Assaluyeh for completion after 2010.
(Updated: June 2007. Source: ICB Americas Chemical Profile, 23 April 2007)
Ethylbenzene
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Ethylbenzene
Process Technologies
Ethylbenzene is produced by the catalytic alkylation of benzene with ethylene, or from mixed xylenes by isomer separation and catalytic isomerisation, or from 1,3-butadiene in a two-step process where the butadiene is converted to vinylcyclohexane which is then dehydrogenated.
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