# Benzene

The simplest aromatic hydrocarbon and the starting point for styrene, phenol, nylon and MDI, made mostly as a co-product of refining and cracking.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/

Commodity chemicals · Aromatics · No. 26

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 55 Mt a year of demand (2024, indicative, basis: industry estimates commonly cited by S&P Global and ICIS)
- 1.9 t CO₂e per t
- HS 290220
 Commodity chemicals · Aromatics · Foundation · Matter

In March 2026 benzene sold for less than the naphtha it came from, as war in the Gulf scrambled Asia's refineries.

Chart: Illustration: Benzene

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Benzene is rarely made for its own sake: it is extracted from refinery reformate and cracker gasoline, or made by converting surplus toluene.

##### Three things to know

1. China holds about 40% of capacity yet still imported about 5.6 Mt in 2025, about 10% of world demand.
2. Producers need a benzene-naphtha spread of about $150-180/t, but it fell to minus $88/t on 20 March 2026.
3. India is a net exporter, shipping 217,694 t to China in 2025, from 1.57 Mt of capacity in the latest official data.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Crude or coal**Heavy naphtha, cracker feed or coke ovens
2. 2 **Reforming**Reformers and crackers make aromatic streams
3. 3 **Extraction**Sulfolane separates 99.9% benzene
4. 4 **Toluene conversion**Surplus toluene turned into benzene
5. 5 **Derivatives**Styrene, phenol, nylon and MDI
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##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/links/index.md)