Oxygen: Feedstocks
The feedstock is free, the electricity is not
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.The feedstock is free air. The real input is electricity, which is 50-70% of the cash cost of oxygen from an ASU (indicative). A producer with cheap, steady power and a large anchor customer has the lowest cost. Capital charge on the ASU is most of the rest, which is why tonnage oxygen is sold under long take-or-pay contracts.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | about 4.3 t of air per t O2 (basis: 23.1% O2 by mass) | oxygen source | zero | air composition |
| Electricity | about 200-300 kWh per t gaseous O2; 600-1,000 kWh per t liquid (indicative) | air compression and liquefaction | about 50-70% of cash cost (indicative) | indicative |
| Zeo Zeolites | small, replaced every few years | air purification and PSA beds | under 2% (indicative) | indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Low cost goes to large on-site plants with cheap power: Middle East and China. In India, contract oxygen was about 8.1 US cents per Nm3 (about $57/t) in May 2023 against cash costs of 3.5-4.0 cents (Intratec). Liquid and cylinder oxygen sell at several times the pipeline price because of liquefaction and distribution.
What it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| EO Ethylene oxide | oxygen-based direct oxidation |
| TiO2 Titanium dioxide | chloride process burns TiCl4 in oxygen |
| H2 Hydrogen | coal gasification and ATR need oxygen |
| MeOH Methanol | coal gasification and ATR syngas |