Toluene
A methyl-benzene co-product of refining used to make xylenes and benzene, blend petrol, dissolve paints and inks, and make TDI for foams.
Commodity chemicals · Aromatics · No. 27
- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 35 Mt a year (2025, indicative, derived: IMARC value divided by about $850-900/t average price)
- 1.5 t CO₂e per t
- HS 290230
Most toluene never leaves the refinery: it is poured into petrol or turned into other chemicals before anyone can buy it.
Chart: Illustration: Toluene
Where it comes from
Chart: Map of where it comes from
Toluene is the most abundant aromatic in refinery reformate, recovered by solvent extraction along with benzene and xylenes; there is no major on-purpose route.
Three things to know
- About 70% of toluene goes either into petrol for octane or into conversion to benzene and xylenes.
- India made only 127,000 t in 2017 from 288,000 t of capacity, so pharma and paint solvent users depend on imports.
- Asian toluene hit $781/t FOB Korea on 2 March 2026, its highest since February 2025.
The journey
- 1 Crude oilHeavy naphtha from crude distillation
- 2 ReformingReformate is 15-25% toluene
- 3 ExtractionSulfolane separates the aromatics
- 4 Swing decisionPetrol, conversion or solvent sales
- 5 End usePaints, inks, pharma and TDI foam