Paraxylene: Overview

Why almost every polyester thread starts with PX

What this tab covers What the chemical is, how big its market is, what it is used for (with shares, volumes, why it wins and what could replace it), and its chain from raw material to end user. Ends with three things to remember.

Paraxylene (PX) is separated from mixed xylenes in large aromatics complexes fed by refinery naphtha. Almost all of it is oxidised to purified terephthalic acid (PTA), the building block of polyester fibre and PET resin. China built a huge wave of capacity after 2018, reaching close to 47 Mt/yr in 2024 (Argus), yet still imported 9.6 Mt in 2025 (GACC via Mysteel). India's Reliance runs one of the world's largest PX sites at Jamnagar. PX is the link between oil and clothing, so its margins tell you about both refining and textile demand.

Volume about 57 Mt a year of demand (2024, indicative, basis: PTA demand x 0.66 t PX per t PTA) Market value about $55-60 billion (2024, indicative, basis: 57 Mt x about $1,000/t) Growth about 3-4% a year to 2030, following polyester (indicative) Argus, May 2025 (China capacity); Mysteel, Jan 2026 (China imports); volume and value indicative

Key uses

Use	Share	Annual volume	Why this commodity	Alternatives
PTA for polyester fibre and filament	68%	about 38.8 Mtbasis	Polyester is the world's largest textile fibre because it is cheap, strong and easy to dye. All of it starts with PTA made from PX. China's integrated chains (Hengli, Rongsheng, Shenghong) run from crude to yarn. indicative split of PTA end uses	recycled PET fibre cotton and viscose bio-based PEF
PTA for PET bottle and packaging resin	22%	about 12.5 Mtbasis	PET is light, clear and a good gas barrier, which suits water and soft-drink bottles. Bottle-to-bottle recycling is growing but most PET still uses virgin PTA. indicative	recycled PET glass and aluminium PEF
PTA for film and other polyesters (PBT, coatings)	7%	about 4.0 Mtbasis	PET film for packaging and electronics, and PBT engineering plastics, use the same terephthalate unit. indicative	BOPP film nylon film
Dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and other	3%	about 1.7 Mtbasis	Some older polyester and PBT plants use DMT made from PX and methanol. indicative	PTA

Almost all PX (about 97%) goes to PTA; shares by end use are indicative, applied to an indicative 57 Mt.

From raw material to user

Crude oil to heavy naphtha Refinery distillation supplies naphtha to reformers; a 20 Mt/yr refinery can feed a 4 Mt/yr PX complex (indicative).
Reforming and aromatics extraction Reformate is split into benzene, toluene and mixed xylenes; transalkylation and disproportionation convert toluene and C9 aromatics into more xylenes.
PX separation Simulated moving bed adsorption (UOP Parex, Axens Eluxyl) or crystallisation recovers PX at 99.7% or better; isomerisation converts the other xylenes back to PX.
PTA About 0.66 t PX per t PTA is oxidised in acetic acid with cobalt-manganese-bromide catalyst (indicative).
Polyester PTA plus MEG gives PET for fibre, bottles and film.

Made from (commodity table)

Oil Crude oil

Three things to know

China had close to 47 Mt/yr of PX capacity in 2024, 39% of it in units of 2 Mt/yr or more (Argus).
The PX-naphtha spread fell from $462/t in 2018 to $283/t in 2024 as Chinese capacity arrived (Argus).
Asian PX was about $1,283/t on 7 October 2026 (Procurement Resource), with Brent near $110/bbl after renewed attacks around Hormuz (Reuters).

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Production route Production Feedstocks Cycles Trading Movement Regulation Characteristics Emissions