Benzene: Production
China builds more, and still imports
What this tab covers Who makes it and how much: world capacity and output, utilisation, the top producing countries and companies globally and in India, concentration, new capacity coming, and each region's position.| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| World capacity | about 70 Mt/yr world (indicative); China 27.67 Mt/yr at end-2025 | Mysteel, Jan 2026 (China); world figure indicative | |
| World output | about 55 Mt (2024, indicative) | indicative, industry estimates | |
| Capacity utilisation | about 75-80% (indicative) | China's benzene capacity utilisation was expected to exceed 80% in September 2026 (Mysteel). Korean producers cut cracker rates to 60-70% in March 2026 when naphtha supply was disrupted (OPIS). | Mysteel, Aug 2026; OPIS, Mar 2026 |
| Concentration | China about 40% of capacity; top three countries about 57% (indicative) | Company concentration is low. Sinopec, PetroChina, Hengli, Rongsheng (ZPC), ExxonMobil, SK, Reliance and Shell are among the largest, but none publishes benzene totals consistently. | Mysteel 2026; indicative |
| New capacity | China adds 2.77 Mt/yr in 2026 (including hydrodealkylation benzene) | Mysteel expects China's 2026 benzene surplus to reach about 790,000 t. Elsewhere additions are few; Korean and Japanese producers are rationalising aromatics capacity. | Mysteel, Jan 2026 |
Top producing countries
China 40% · 27.67 Mt/yr capacity (end-2025) United States 9% · not published in sources reached South Korea 8% · exported 263,658 t in March 2026 alone Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar) 7% · 4.867 Mt/yr capacity Japan 5% · not published in sources reached India 3% · 1.57 Mt/yr capacity, 1.33 Mt output (2017, latest official series) Mysteel, Jan 2026; share indicative against about 70 Mt world; indicative share; OPIS, May 2026; share indicative; OPIS, Mar 2026; Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals via CEIC (2017)Largest producers: global
| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sinopec largest Chinese producer; sets the East China list price; capacity not published in sources reached | China | not published | 2025 | S&P Global, Mar 2026 (East China list price setter) |
| Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) integrated with 720 kt/yr styrene and 420 kt/yr phenol | China | 1.42 Mt/yr benzene capacity | 2026 | OPIS, May 2026 |
| Zhejiang Petrochemical (Rongsheng) Zhoushan megacomplex; consumes benzene in 2.4 Mt/yr styrene; benzene total not published | China | not published | 2025 | Argus, May 2025 |
| ExxonMobil not published | US | not published | 2025 | IMARC 2025 (named as leading aromatics producer) |
| SK Innovation (SK Geo Centric) major exporter; not published | South Korea | not published | 2025 | IMARC 2025 |
| Reliance Industries Jamnagar aromatics complex; benzene figure not published separately | India | not published | 2025 | indicative |
Largest producers: India
| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reliance Industries largest Indian producer and exporter; not published | India | not published | 2025 | indicative |
| Indian Oil (Panipat) Panipat naphtha cracker and PX/PTA complex; not published | India | not published | 2025 | indicative |
| ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals (MRPL) aromatics complex at Mangalore; not published in sources reached | India | not published | 2025 | indicative |
| Bharat Petroleum (Kochi) aromatics recovery at Kochi refinery; not published | India | not published | 2025 | indicative |
India had 1.57 Mt/yr of benzene capacity and produced 1.33 Mt in 2017, the latest official series (DCPC via CEIC). It is a net exporter: Indian cargoes to China were 217,694 t in 2025, 3.9% of China's imports (OPIS).
Position by region
| Region | Position |
|---|---|
| US | Ethane cracking produces little benzene, so the US relies on reformers and imports from Korea when the arbitrage opens; USGC spot hit 362 cents/gal on 6 March 2026 (S&P Global). |
| EU | Naphtha-based and high cost; derivative closures (styrene, phenol, caprolactam) cut local demand, and Europe imported Asian cargoes in 2026 (IMARC, Q1 2026). |
| India | Net exporter of benzene; derivative capacity (phenol, LAB, cumene) is growing, which will absorb more locally. |
| China | Largest producer, consumer and importer; Dalian benzene futures were approved in June 2025 (Yicai). |
| Japan | Mature, shrinking aromatics base and an exporter to China and the US. |
| Middle East | 4.87 Mt/yr capacity, mainly Saudi Arabia and Oman; exports were disrupted by the 2026 Hormuz disruption (OPIS, Mar 2026). |