Butadiene (1,3-butadiene, CAS 106-99-0) is a colorless, flammable gas at ambient conditions with a mild aromatic odor, having the molecular formula C4H6 and a boiling point of -4.4°C. It is the simplest conjugated diene, consisting of four carbon atoms with two alternating double bonds (CH2=CH-CH=CH2). Butadiene is one of the most important petrochemical monomers in the world, primarily used as a feedstock for the production of synthetic rubbers (notably styrene-butadiene rubber and polybutadiene rubber), as well as for the manufacture of ABS resins, nylon intermediates (adiponitrile via hydrocyanation), and other specialty chemicals. It is predominantly recovered as a co-product from the steam cracking of naphtha, gas oil, or other hydrocarbon feedstocks in ethylene production plants, and is also produced by catalytic dehydrogenation of n-butane or n-butenes.
How About the Price?
Key Influence Events
Price Trajectory 2020–2026 (Brief Recap)
Phase 1 — Decline and contraction (2020): Persistent demand weakness during 2020 drove prices down from $1350/ton in January to a low of $980/ton in December.
Phase 2 — Recovery and steady rise (2021): Improving demand beginning early 2021 resulted in a rebound with prices climbing from $1050/ton in January to $1420/ton by December.
Phase 3 — Continued growth (2022): Sustained demand growth supported further price increases to $1720/ton by December 2022.
Phase 4 — Strong upward momentum (2023): Ongoing demand strength pushed prices from $1750/ton in January to $2020/ton in December.
Phase 5 — Growth moderation (2024): Continued but slower demand expansion led prices to rise from $2050/ton in January to $2320/ton in December.
Phase 6 — Early 2025 growth acceleration (Jan-Jun 2025): Demand-driven market kept prices climbing, reaching $2480/ton in June 2025 and $2800/ton by early June 2026 (ICIS Spot).
Supply-side factors
- No explicit supply events recorded in the influence log over 2020–2026.
Demand-side factors
- Consistent demand influence indicated every month from January 2020 through May 2026 in the events log.
- Demand weakness throughout 2020 coincided with falling prices.
- Demand recovery throughout 2021 supported price increases from $1050/ton to $1420/ton.
- Strong ongoing demand into 2022 and 2023 corresponded with sustained price growth above $1700/ton.
- Demand remains the sole cited factor in all monthly event entries up to mid-2026.
Top Countries Production Capacity
| Property / Grade | Typical Value / Range | Unit | Notes / Grade Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purity (1,3-Butadiene) | 99.0 – 99.7 | wt% | Polymer Grade |
| Purity (1,3-Butadiene) | 98.5 – 99.0 | wt% | Chemical Grade |
| 1,2-Butadiene (max) | 100 – 500 | ppm wt | Polymer Grade |
| Acetylene (max) | 10 – 20 | ppm wt | Polymer Grade |
| Total C4 acetylenes (max) | 20 | ppm wt | Polymer Grade |
| Propadiene (max) | 10 | ppm wt | Polymer Grade |
| Total sulfur (max) | 5 – 10 | ppm wt | Polymer Grade |
| Water (max) | 100 – 200 | ppm wt | Polymer Grade |
| Oxygen (max) | 5 – 10 | ppm wt | Polymer Grade |
| TBC inhibitor (4-tert-butylcatechol) | 50 – 150 | ppm wt | Added for storage stability |
| Peroxide content (max) | 0.5 | ppm wt | Polymer Grade |
| Boiling point | -4.4 | °C | At 1 atm |
| Vapor pressure | 2.4 | bar abs | At 20°C |
| Liquid density | 621 | kg/m³ | At 20°C |
| Molecular weight | 54.09 | g/mol | — |
| Flash point | -85 | °C | — |
| Explosive limits in air | 2.0 – 11.5 | vol% | LEL – UEL |
Who are the Top Players?
| Company | Headquarters | Key Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| BASF | Ludwigshafen, Germany | Port Arthur TX, Antwerp Belgium |
| Braskem | Sao Paulo, Brazil | |
| Chevron Phillips Chemical | Houston TX, USA | |
| CNPC | Beijing, China | |
| Dow | Midland MI, USA | Freeport TX, Plaquemine LA |
| ENEOS Materials Corporation | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Eni | Rome, Italy | |
| Evonik Industries AG | Essen, Germany | |
| ExxonMobil | Spring TX, USA | Baytown TX |
| Formosa Plastics Group | Taipei, Taiwan | |
| Ineos | London, UK | |
| Lanxess | Cologne, Germany | |
| LG Chem | Seoul, South Korea | Yeosu, Daesan |
| LyondellBasell | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Terneuzen Netherlands, Bayport TX, Lake Charles LA |
| Nizhnekamskneftekhim | Nizhnekamsk, Russia | |
| Repsol | Madrid, Spain | |
| Sabic | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | |
| Shell | The Hague, Netherlands | Deer Park TX, Norco LA |
| Sinopec | Beijing, China | Wuhan Hubei, China |
| TPC Group | Houston TX, USA | Houston TX, Port Neches TX |
| TotalEnergies | Courbevoie, France | |
| Versalis | Milan, Italy | |
| SABIC | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
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