# Oxygen: Trading

Twenty-year contracts and hidden prices

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/trading/

What this tab covers How it is bought and sold: buyers and sellers, price benchmarks and who publishes them, exchanges, contract types, traders, how Indian buyers price it, recent price points, and good sources to follow.

#### Who buys, and where

- Steel mills, refiners and chemical plants contract on-site supply
- Hospitals and small users buy liquid or cylinders from distributors

#### Who sells, and from where

- Industrial gas majors and regional suppliers (INOX Air Products, Linde India, Air Liquide, Air Water)
- Steel plants with spare ASU capacity sell liquid oxygen

#### Price benchmarks

| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| **No public spot benchmark; consultant cost and price indices (e.g. Intratec country prices)** | Intratec | monthly modelled contract price |

#### Contract types

- 15-20 year on-site tonnage contracts with take-or-pay and power pass-through
- Bulk liquid supply contracts of 3-5 years
- Cylinder rental plus gas price

#### Traders and distributors

- None of note: oxygen is sold by producers, not traded

#### How Indian buyers price it

- Contract and list prices set by suppliers; power pass-through clauses
- Medical oxygen subject to NPPA price controls in emergencies (2020-21, indicative)

#### Recent price points

| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2023 | **8.11 US cents per Nm3 (about $57/t)** | contract, ex-works, India | Intratec |
| May 2023 | **3.53-4.02 US cents per Nm3 (about $25-28/t)** | cash cost, India | Intratec |

#### Good sources to follow
[gasworld](https://www.gasworld.com/)freemium newsletter · industrial gases trade publisher

industrial gas markets, plants and company news, including India country reports
[Thunder Said Energy](https://thundersaidenergy.com/2023/05/31/industrial-gases-air-separation-units/)freemium research site · energy transition research firm

costs and economics of air separation units
[Intratec industrial gas prices](https://www.intratec.us/solutions/industry-economics-competitiveness/industrial-oxygen-price/india)paid research site · Intratec

country contract prices and costs for oxygen and nitrogen

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/cycles/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/oxygen/links/index.md)