This chart shows Butadiene price assessments in USA Dollar per metric ton (USD/mt) in 6 locations, as follows:
- Butadiene, US (United States): Butadiene, import transaction price, cif, United States
- Butadiene, SAM (South America): Butadiene, export transaction price, fob, Brazil
- Butadiene, EUR (Europe): Butadiene, export transaction price, fob, Germany
- Butadiene, CN (China): Butadiene, domestic spot price, exw, China
- Butadiene, NEA (Northeast Asia): Butadiene, import spot price, cfr, South Korea (netforward from fob China)
- Butadiene, SEA (Southeast Asia): Butadiene, export transaction price, fob, Thailand
The chart above is a sample of Intratec Primary Commodity Prices. Subscribe and access now current prices of 225 commodities, including Butadiene.
Data Use
Butadiene prices are provided as an annual subscription where subscribers have access to reliable pricing data of 225 commodities worldwide.
Intratec's methodology employs a structured big data strategy that utilizes advanced technologies to extract publicly available data from primary sources such as governmental trade records, statistics bureaus, and international agencies.
This data is then processed through mathematical models to generate reliable assessments, published at the very beginning of each month. To better understand the data provided check Intratec Primary Commodity Prices Methodology.
Data Delivery Methods
Butadiene price assessments are available via different delivery methods:
- Online charts
- Directly into Excel (using Intratec Add-in)
- Power BI dashboards
- Web API (to facilitate integration with existing workflows)
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Butadiene Price Outlook
Butadiene Price Outlook. The price of Butadiene (United States) increased during May 2020 to 750 USD per metric ton, which represents a considerable rise of 20% compared to the previous month’s value. On a year-over-year basis, the prices of Butadiene (United States) decreased significantly by 33%. Meanwhile, the average price of Butadiene (China) amounted to 676 USD per metric ton, from 1,360 USD per metric ton one year earlier. On a month-over-month basis, the price of Butadiene (China) is 9% higher than the price one month before.
The price of Butadiene (Southeast Asia) declined considerably throughout May 2020, reaching 224 USD per metric ton. The price is 51% lower than the average price in the previous month and 74% lower than the average price one year before. In contrast, the prices of Butadiene (Europe) decreased significantly during May 2020, reaching 355 USD per metric ton, which means a decline of 19% from the previous month’s price and a decline of 64% from the previous year’s price.
The prices of Butadiene (South America) experienced a significant decline of 238 USD per metric ton from the prior month's price, to 178 USD per metric ton. Such price movement meant a decrease of 57% on a monthly basis and a decrease of 78% on a yearly basis.
About Butadiene
About Butadiene. Butadiene (a.k.a. BD, 1,3-Butadiene, Bio-Butadiene) is a versatile and crucial chemical commodity, known as the simplest conjugated diene. It exists as a colorless gas and exhibits remarkable versatility. Due to its conjugated double bonds, this compound can participate in various distinct reactions, including addition, hydrogenation, oxygenation, Diels-Alder, and polymerization. These reactions result in the formation of a wide range of important chemicals. However, it is worth noting that the other isomeric form of butadiene, known as 1,2-butadiene, lacks significant commercial applications. Instead, it is primarily produced as a by-product during the production of 1,3-butadiene, which holds greater industrial importance.
A great part of Butadiene is obtained on a large scale as a co-product during the steam cracking process used to produce ethylene. Additionally, it can be commercially produced through the dehydrogenation of butane and butenes, as well as from ethanol, particularly in smaller-capacity plants. When Butadiene is derived from renewable sources, it is commonly referred to as Bio-Butadiene or Green Butadiene.
The majority of globally produced butadiene serves as a monomer or co-monomer in the manufacturing of synthetic rubber, particularly for styrene-butadiene rubber and latex (SBR), polybutadiene rubber (BR), acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and latex (NBR), and chloroprene rubber (CR). Butadiene also plays a significant role in important plastics, where it serves as a monomer component.
Butadiene Handling. Butadiene is stored in liquefied form, mainly in liquid-gas pressurized containers. While BD reacts with oxygen forming dangerous polymeric peroxides, it is handled in the absence of this chemical. Antioxidants and inhibitors, as well as lower storage temperatures, are used to prevent premature polymerization reactions. Butadiene is transported at a temperature of 4 °C and raised pressures, in tankers, railroads, pipelines, and tank trucks.
Butadiene Production. Butadiene was initially manufactured from acetylene. Such methods are no longer used due to high costs and high energy consumption. Nowadays BD is produced through different routes, being isolation from C4 steam cracker fractions and dehydrogenation of butane and butenes the predominant ones. Raw materials and the respective production processes employed in the manufacturing of Butadiene are listed below.
- Co-product of steam cracking for ethylene production
- Butane/butenes (dehydrogenation),
- Raw sugar/glucose (fermentation),
- Ethanol (2-stage reaction process via acetaldehyde),
- Crude C4s stream (extraction)
Butadiene Uses. The uses and applications of Butadiene may vary according to its specification. The main forms of Butadiene are technical grade (98.0 wt% minimum purity); chemically pure (CP, 99.0 wt% minimum purity); instrument grade (99.4 wt% minimum purity); and research grade (99.8 wt% minimum purity).
To a lesser extent, Butadiene is also used in the production of adiponitrile, a nylon intermediate, anthraquinone, sulfolane solvent and in the synthesis of cycloalkanes and cycloalkenes, among others.