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Blend demand for US aromatics withers

  • Mercados: Petrochemicals
  • 25/09/25

Demand for blending aromatics into gasoline is falling as the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) specification transition occurs this month, making room for high-octane, high-RVP blending components like butane.

Despite the seasonal drop in aromatics usage in the gasoline pool, discussions for aromatic blending components have been active in September. At least 70,000 bl of ethylbenzene (EB) traded in the first half of September, with some transactions even fixed for October delivery when blend demand historically cools off.

EB transactions would seem to yield movement for other aromatic gasoline blending components as well. But the EB was trading because styrene monomer (SM) producers had already consumed feedstock benzene to make EB. Before converting the EB into SM, those producers decided to sell EB into the gasoline blending pool with strong demand from blenders, as well as to not build SM inventories in an already well-supplied market, sources said.

Timing, proximity and availability drove demand for EB and there was no extra pull for benzene to produce more EB, sources said.

Since the last EB transaction on 9 September, discussions for EB blending into gasoline have largely declined or completely halted, signaling a hesitance from blenders to buy more high-octane, low-RVP aromatic blending components, sources said.

Discussions for commercial-grade toluene (CGT) and mixed xylenes (MX) into blending were also active. Consumers bought CGT when EB was not available, as EB for September delivery sold out quickly.

CGT bids reached as high as 75¢/USG over October RBOB gasoline futures. MX for blending was often discussed in the same range as CGT and often traded more frequently than CGT because of its availability on steady imports, sources said.

Market participants said the late-season demand was unlikely to last and only bought aromatic blending components as needed to fulfill consumer demands in the short term. Octane demand began to return to more seasonal levels in mid-September and sources expect aromatics prices to decline further in October.


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