MTBE: Feedstocks
Why scarce isobutylene decides who wins
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.MTBE is about 36% methanol and 64% isobutylene by weight. Isobutylene is the costlier and scarcer input, so access to cheap C4s or butane decides competitiveness. Plants in refineries treat MTBE as a way to upgrade C4s; on-purpose plants in the Gulf and China treat it as a way to monetise butane.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gas Natural gas | about 0.364 t per t | methyl ether group | about 20-25% of cash cost (indicative) | stoichiometry (indicative) |
| Oil Crude oil | about 0.636 t per t | tert-butyl group | about 60-70% (indicative) | stoichiometry (indicative) |
| Gas Natural gas | about 0.66-0.7 t per t (indicative) | dehydrogenated to isobutylene | about 55-65% (indicative) | indicative |
| Acidic ion-exchange resin catalyst | small | etherification catalyst | under 1% (indicative) | indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Lowest cost: Middle East on-purpose plants on cheap butane and methanol, and US Gulf plants on NGL butane. Refinery units everywhere are competitive because C4s have low alternative value. High-cost Chinese dehydrogenation plants struggled in 2025 (S&P Global).
Raw materials on the commodity table
Gas Natural gasOil Crude oilWhat it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| Lub Lubricant additives | polyisobutylene for dispersants |