Linear alkylbenzene: Production route
From kerosene to a detergent's straight-chain tail
From kerosene to a detergent's straight-chain tail What this tab covers How it is made: the main production routes or, for product families, the main product types and technologies, compared on share of supply, inputs per tonne, plant scale, yield, co-products and unit cost.All commercial LAB is made by alkylating benzene with linear olefins. The olefins come mostly from n-paraffins extracted from kerosene and dehydrogenated; a small share comes from ethylene-based or Fischer-Tropsch linear olefins (Sasol). Plants differ mainly in the alkylation catalyst. The older hydrofluoric acid (HF) process is being displaced by the solid-acid Detal process, which avoids handling HF and gives a higher 2-phenyl isomer content that improves solubility. Aluminium chloride alkylation survives in a few plants.
Routes compared
| Route | Share of supply | Inputs per tonne | Typical scale | Yield | Co-products | Unit cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kerosene to n-paraffins, dehydrogenation and solid-acid (Detal) alkylation | a majority of newer capacity (indicative) | about 0.75 t n-paraffins and 0.34 t benzene per t LAB, plus hydrogen and fuel (indicative) | 80-200 kt/yr | about 90-95% on olefins (indicative) | heavy alkylate (about 5-8%), hydrogen from dehydrogenation (indicative) | feedstock (paraffins and benzene) is about 75-85% of cash cost (indicative) |
| Kerosene route with HF alkylation | a large share of older capacity (indicative) | similar to Detal | 80-150 kt/yr | similar | heavy alkylate, HF regeneration residues | similar feedstock cost |
| Linear olefins from ethylene or Fischer-Tropsch | small (indicative) | about 0.7 t olefins and 0.34 t benzene per t LAB (indicative) | single plants | high | heavy alkylate | depends on olefin source |
How each route works
Kerosene to n-paraffins, dehydrogenation and solid-acid (Detal) alkylationn-Paraffins are dehydrogenated to olefins, diolefins are selectively hydrogenated, and olefins react with excess benzene over a fixed-bed solid acid. Benzene is recycled; heavy alkylate is a by-product.
no HF; better product quality; licensed by UOP and Moeve/Cepsa
Procurement Resource 2026 (feedstock dependence); indicative Kerosene route with HF alkylationSame front end, but liquid hydrofluoric acid catalyses alkylation. HF is highly toxic, and many plants have converted to Detal.
proven, cheap; HF safety risk
indicative Linear olefins from ethylene or Fischer-TropschOlefins from ethylene oligomerisation or coal/gas-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis are alkylated with benzene, avoiding kerosene.
no kerosene; tied to integrated olefin chains (Sasol)
indicative Unit economics are indicative ranges from the sources named; costs move with feedstock and energy prices, plant size and region.