What is Calcined Petroleum Coke Market Analysis: Price Trend and Trade Data
Analysts Sentiment
Bullish
58.4%
Neutral
18.9%
Bearish
22.7%
What's driving sentiment this week:
Latest published data (2025-07 to 2026-06) — Sentiment: Bullish
The most recent published customs observation for HS 271312 is 2026-06 at USD 508/ton, +4.2% against the previous month and +17.8% against 2025-07.
Reported volume across the fixed 9-economy panel was 4,105,538 tonnes over the window, 342,128 tonnes a month on average, and the three-month trend is +3.2%.
Next 1–3 Months — Outlook
This page is refreshed from public customs statistics rather than paid price assessments, so the next revision will roll in each newly published month for HS 271312. Direction shown here is a reading of published customs unit values, not a forecast.
How About the Price?
Data source: UN Comtrade monthly trade statistics (https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?period=202606&cmdCode=271312&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true) | Last updated: 2026-09-23
Price Trajectory, latest 12 months (2025-07 to 2026-06)
The monthly customs export unit value for HS 271312 moved from USD 432/ton in 2025-07 to USD 508/ton in 2026-06 (+17.8% across the window). The window high was USD 511/ton in 2026-04 and the low USD 371/ton in 2025-09. Three-month averages put the latest quarter +3.2% against the previous one, which is classified here as bullish.
The same panel reported USD 1,902.2 million of export value on 4,105,538 tonnes over the twelve months, an average of 342,128 tonnes a month. Values are customs returns for the stated HS heading, so they capture the traded mix of that heading rather than a single quoted grade.
Supply-side factors
- Fixed reporting panel of 9 economies: BRA, CZE, DEU, IDN, NLD, POL, IND, SWE, USA. The panel is held constant in every month of the window so month-to-month movement is not a composition effect.
- Monthly unit value range over the window: USD 371 to USD 511/ton.
- Latest month, 2026-06: USD 508/ton, +4.2% against the previous month, on 326,191 tonnes.
Demand-side factors
- Downstream demand for calcined petroleum coke is concentrated in primary aluminium anodes, with a smaller recarburiser outlet in steel and foundry melts.
- Upstream feedstock pages on this site: Petroleum Coke and Petroleum Coke Powder.
Basis: these are customs unit values for the stated HS heading, not quoted spot, contract or assessed prices, and no paid price assessment is used or redistributed on this page. Every figure can be re-checked at the API links listed at the end of this page.
Substitutes & Alternatives
| Substitute | Replacement Scenario / How It Substitutes |
|---|---|
| Graphitized Petroleum Coke (GPC-G) | Used as a recarburizer in steel and iron foundries in place of CPC. Graphitized coke has higher carbon purity (>99.5%) and lower sulfur, making it a premium drop-in substitute where low sulfur and high carbon recovery are critical. It commands a higher price but can replace CPC directly in electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking charge mixes. |
| Coal Tar Pitch Coke (Pitch Coke) | Derived from coal tar pitch calcination, pitch coke can substitute for CPC in carbon anode manufacturing for aluminum smelting when petroleum coke supply is constrained or when lower metal impurity levels are required. It typically has lower sulfur but higher ash than CPC; blending with CPC is common to meet anode specifications. |
| Anthracite Coal (Calcined / Raw) | Used as a partial or full substitute for CPC as a recarburizer in iron foundries and EAF steelmaking. Calcined anthracite has carbon content of 90–95%, lower than CPC, so higher addition rates are needed. It is widely used where cost is prioritized over carbon efficiency and where sulfur specifications are less stringent. Drop-in substitution with adjusted dosing. |
| Natural Graphite | Can substitute for CPC as a recarburizer in specialty steel and cast iron applications requiring very low sulfur (<0.05%) and high carbon recovery. Natural graphite is more expensive than CPC but is used in high-grade ductile iron production. It is a direct drop-in at adjusted addition rates due to its higher fixed carbon content (95–99%). |
| Synthetic Graphite Scrap / Electrode Scrap | Recycled graphite electrode scrap from EAF steelmaking is used as a recarburizer substitute for CPC. It offers very high carbon purity and low sulfur. Substitution is straightforward in foundry and steelmaking applications; availability is limited and price is variable depending on EAF industry activity. |
| Bio-based Carbon / Biochar | Emerging substitute for CPC in recarburizer and potentially anode applications, driven by decarbonization goals. Biochar from pyrolysis of biomass can partially replace CPC in iron foundry charge mixes (typically up to 20–30% substitution in trials). Full substitution in aluminum anodes is not yet commercially proven due to lower density, higher reactivity, and inconsistent quality. Requires reformulation of charge recipes. |
| Pre-baked Carbon Anodes (recycled / rebaked butts) | In aluminum smelting, anode butts (the unconsumed stubs of spent anodes) are recycled, crushed, and reincorporated into new anode paste, partially reducing the CPC requirement per tonne of aluminum. This is a standard industry practice (butt recycling typically offsets 15–25% of fresh CPC demand per smelter) rather than a full substitute, but it directly reduces CPC consumption intensity. |
Related PetroApex Market Pages
- Petroleum Coke — the green coke feedstock that is calcined into CPC.
- Petroleum Coke Powder — the milled form of calcined coke used in recarburising.
- Ethylene Tar — an alternative coker feedstock in the same refinery carbon chain.
- Petroleum Coke Trade Data 2020-2024: Green vs Calcined Unit Values — cross-checks green versus calcined petroleum coke unit values from the same public trade dataset.
Regulatory Status
| Region | Regulation / Policy Name | Issuing Authority | Year (enacted or latest revision) | Key Requirement / Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | GHG Reporting Program, Subpart EE | US EPA | 2010 (revised) | Monthly reporting of calcined petroleum coke consumption (tons) for facilities consuming >500 tons/year; no emission standard or MACT for calcining operations | https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/subpart-ee-information-sheet |
| US | Titanium Dioxide Production, Primary Aluminum NESHAP (reference to calcined petroleum coke use) | US EPA | 2008 (revised) | Use of calcined petroleum coke as raw material in TiO2 production and primary aluminum smelting; no specific emission threshold for CPC | https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=P100AHOY.TXT |
| EU | REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Annex V | European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) | 1907/2006 (ongoing exemption) | Exempt from registration requirements (Annex V, Paragraph X); no hazard classification or labeling required under CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 | https://sds.chemtel.net/docs/Asbury%20Carbons%20Inc-0001931/Site%20SDS/SDS%20Calcined%20Petroleum%20Coke%20-%20EU%20English.pdf |
| Global / US | GHS Classification under CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 and equivalent US OSHA | US EPA / ECHA | 2008 (ongoing) | Not classified as hazardous substance; no label elements required; no classification under any hazard class | https://sds.chemtel.net/docs/Asbury%20Carbons%20Inc-0001931/Site%20SDS/SDS%20Calcined%20Petroleum%20Coke%20-%20EU%20English.pdf |
Key Influence Events
Calcined Petroleum Coke (CPC) is a high-purity carbon material produced by thermally treating green (raw) petroleum coke at temperatures between 1200°C and 1350°C in a rotary kiln or rotary hearth furnace. This calcination process drives off residual moisture, volatile matter, and sulfur compounds, increasing the carbon content to typically 98–99.5% and improving the electrical conductivity, density, and mechanical strength of the material. CPC is primarily used as a carbon anode material in the Hall-Héroult electrolytic process for primary aluminum smelting, and also finds application as a recarburizer in steel and iron foundries, in the manufacture of titanium dioxide, and in the production of graphite electrodes.
Top Countries Production Capacity
Production Process of Calcined Petroleum Coke Market Analysis: Price Trend and Trade Data
Calcined Petroleum Coke (CPC) is a high-purity carbon material produced by thermally treating green (raw) petroleum coke at temperatures between 1200°C and 1350°C in a rotary kiln or rotary hearth furnace. This calcination process drives off residual moisture, volatile matter, and sulfur compounds, increasing the carbon content to typically 98–99.5% and improving the electrical conductivity, density, and mechanical strength of the material. CPC is primarily used as a carbon anode material in the Hall-Héroult electrolytic process for primary aluminum smelting, and also finds application as a recarburizer in steel and iron foundries, in the manufacture of titanium dioxide, and in the production of graphite electrodes.
Specs & Grades
| Property | Typical Value / Range | Unit | Grade / Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Carbon | 98.0 – 99.5 | wt% | Anode Grade / Recarburizer |
| Sulfur Content | 0.5 – 3.5 | wt% | Low-S: <1.5% (anode); High-S: up to 3.5% (TiO2/fuel) |
| Ash Content | 0.1 – 0.5 | wt% | Anode Grade |
| Volatile Matter | 0.1 – 0.5 | wt% | All grades post-calcination |
| Moisture | <0.1 – 0.5 | wt% | All grades |
| Real Density | 2.04 – 2.10 | g/cm³ | Anode Grade (higher = better) |
| Vibrated Bulk Density (VBD) | 0.78 – 0.88 | g/cm³ | Anode Grade |
| Vanadium (V) | 50 – 400 | ppm | Anode Grade (<200 ppm preferred) |
| Nickel (Ni) | 50 – 300 | ppm | Anode Grade (<200 ppm preferred) |
| Silicon (Si) | 50 – 200 | ppm | Anode Grade |
| Iron (Fe) | 50 – 300 | ppm | Anode Grade |
| Particle Size (typical) | 0 – 25 (crushed/screened) | mm | Anode Grade; finer for recarburizer |
| Electrical Resistivity | 450 – 600 | µΩ·m | Anode Grade |
Data Sources
Price and volume figures on this page are computed from the public sources listed below. Regulatory sources are cited individually in the Regulatory Status table above.
- UN Comtrade monthly public trade statistics — HS 271312, exports, by month (2025-07 to 2026-06): 2025-07, 2025-08, 2025-09, 2025-10, 2025-11, 2025-12, 2026-01, 2026-02, 2026-03, 2026-04, 2026-05, 2026-06
- Fixed reporting panel for this series: BRA, CZE, DEU, IDN, NLD, POL, IND, SWE, USA. Exact API calls are the per-month links above.
Who are the Top Players?
| Company | Headquarters | Key Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| Oxbow Corporation | West Palm Beach, Florida, USA | Baton Rouge LA, Port Arthur TX, Kremlin OK |
| Rain Carbon Inc. | United States | Lake Charles LA, Chalmette LA, Norco LA, Robinson IL, Purvis MS, Visakhapatnam Andhra Pradesh India |
| BP plc | London, UK | |
| Phillips 66 Company | Houston, Texas, USA | Lake Charles LA |
| Aminco Resources LLC | United States | |
| Sinopec Corporation | Beijing, China | |
| CNPC | Beijing, China | |
| PetroCoque S.A. | Cubatão, São Paulo, Brazil | Cubatão São Paulo Brazil |
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