Oxygen: Relationships

Every element and industry that Oxygen is linked to, and how. Each pair has its own card explaining the relationships between the two.

• Steel: Steelmaking is one of the largest industrial uses of oxygen: each tonne of converter steel needs about 55 to 60 cubic metres of high-purity oxygen, mostly made in air separation plants at the steelworks. Because the gas is made on site under long contracts, the tie is physical and operational rather than a traded price link, as India saw in 2021 when steel plants were called on to supply medical oxygen. (researched)
• Aerospace and defence: Aerospace and defence depends on oxygen.
• Argon: Their prices have moved together.
• Construction and infrastructure: Construction and infrastructure depends on oxygen.
• Energy-intensive industry: Their prices have moved together.
• Healthcare services: Healthcare services depends on oxygen.
• Machinery and equipment: Machinery and equipment depends on oxygen.
• Metal products: Metal products depends on oxygen.
• Nitrogen gas: Their prices have moved together.
• Telecommunications: Telecommunications depends on oxygen.
• Vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft: Vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft depends on oxygen.
• Water and sanitation: Water and sanitation depends on oxygen.