US toluene disproportionation, Mobil selective toluene disproportionation and hydrodealkylation margins moved higher on Monday after spot benzene prices surged, sources said.
TDP margins rose $43/mt to be estimated Monday at $298.87/mt, MSTDP margins gained $10.58/mt to be estimated at $143.28/mt and HDA margins moved $33.88/mt higher to be estimated at $165.57/mt, based on Platts data, which does not include operating costs.
These margins have been positive because of a healthy price spread between spot benzene and toluene prices.
US spot benzene was assessed Monday at $5.13/gal ($1,535.41/mt) FOB US Gulf Coast, an increase of 15 cents/gal ($44.90/mt) from Friday. Meanwhile, US spot toluene was assessed at $3.78/gal ($1,149.12/mt) FOB US Gulf Coast, an increase of 3 cents/gal ($9.12/mt).
TDP margins provide an indication of whether it is profitable to produce benzene and mixed xylene using toluene as a feedstock, while MSTDP margins give an indication of profitability in using toluene to produce benzene, mixed xylene and paraxylene. HDA margins measure the profitability of using toluene to produce benzene.
HDA margins have been in positive territory since December 2, according to Platts data. TDP margins, normally positive, were last seen negative November 1 and MSTDP margins -- also normally positive -- were last seen negative October 3, 2012.
