# Benzene: Production

China builds more, and still imports

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

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)](https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/chemicals/030926-global-benzene-prices-hit-multimonth-highs-across-asia-europe-us-gulf) |
| **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](https://www.opis.com/resources/energy-market-news-from-opis/asias-benzene-outlook-clouded-by-volatility-weak-demand-recovery/) |
| **Zhejiang Petrochemical (Rongsheng)** Zhoushan megacomplex; consumes benzene in 2.4 Mt/yr styrene; benzene total not published | China | not published | 2025 | [Argus, May 2025](https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/market-opinion-and-analysis-blog/an-industry-heavyweight-the-significance-and-scale-of-chinese-paraxylene-capacities) |
| **ExxonMobil** not published | US | not published | 2025 | [IMARC 2025 (named as leading aromatics producer)](https://www.imarcgroup.com/toluene-market-statistics) |
| **SK Innovation (SK Geo Centric)** major exporter; not published | South Korea | not published | 2025 | [IMARC 2025](https://www.imarcgroup.com/toluene-market-statistics) |
| **Reliance Industries** Jamnagar aromatics complex; benzene figure not published separately | India | not published | 2025 | [indicative](https://www.ril.com) |

#### Largest producers: India

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Reliance Industries** largest Indian producer and exporter; not published | India | not published | 2025 | [indicative](https://www.ril.com) |
| **Indian Oil (Panipat)** Panipat naphtha cracker and PX/PTA complex; not published | India | not published | 2025 | [indicative](https://iocl.com) |
| **ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals (MRPL)** aromatics complex at Mangalore; not published in sources reached | India | not published | 2025 | [indicative](https://mrpl.co.in) |
| **Bharat Petroleum (Kochi)** aromatics recovery at Kochi refinery; not published | India | not published | 2025 | [indicative](https://www.bharatpetroleum.in) |

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). |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/index.md)
- [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)
- [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)