MARKETS
Xylene Production Jumps 6 0 % S t e a d y rise in production of benzene, toluene, x y l e n e from petroleum continues; x y l e n e reaches a high • P E T R O L E U M - D E R I V E D x y l e n e hit
a
new
*• production peak in 1 9 5 3 , jumping from t h e 1 9 5 2 production of 6 1 . 5 million gallons to almost 1 0 3 million gallons. T h e U. S. tariff commission report o n production and sales of tar crudes also s h o w s that xylene production b y tar distillers fell from more than 2 million gallons to 6 6 0 , 0 0 0 gallons, w i t h a corresponding tar distillers price rise from 2 8 to 3 7 cents per gallon. M e a n w h i l e , average sales price of xylene from p e t r o l e u m w a s firmer, g o i n g u p 2 cents to 2 5 cents per gallon. Petroleum-derived b e n z e n e , toluene, a n d x y l e n e are usually sold under longterm contract. X y l e n e from coke o v e n operators h e l d s t e a d y b o t h in price ( J N average 3 2 cents) and in production, w h i c h rose slightly to approach 10 million gallons. A l t h o u g h the amount of xylene produced from petroleum increased b y 5 4 % , it only resulted in a 5 % rise in the slice of total xylene production attributed to petroleum sources. T h e percentage of t h e three major aromatics that are petroleumd e r i v e d has risen steadily over the past five years. In 1 9 5 3 , t h e difference b e t w e e n the
tions is n o w beginning t o firm t h e market. T o l u e n e R e b o u n d s . A. striking increase occurred in toluene production from petroleum sources w i t h a 5 6 % leap from 6 4 million gallons to almost 1 0 3 million gallons. Toluene prices rose during 1 9 5 3 , a n d have continued to rise to today's level of about 35 cents per gallon. Reflecting substantial defense requirements for most of 1 9 5 3 , t o l u e n e sales rose from 8 7 . 5 million gallons to more than 1 3 0 million gallons. More than t w o thirds of all t o l u e n e consumption in 1 9 5 2 h a d gone t o explosives and avgas. Production f r o m high-cost tar distillers more than h a l v e d , dropp i n g from 10.7 million gallons to less than 5 million gallons. T h i s decrease w a s b a l a n c e d b y a 5-million-gallon increase from coke o v e n operators. U s e of toluene in protective coatings a n d solvents declined, as other aromatic mixes such as xylenes r e p l a c e d it in s o m e applications. A 27.5-million-gallon increase in production of b e n z e n e from petroleum brought total petroleum-deTived b e n z e n e to 6 3 million gallons, almost exactly compensating for a drop in tar distillers production of b e n z e n e . T a r
Table I. Percentage of Organic Solvents M a d e by Petroleum Operators 1949 Benzene Toluene Xylene
59% 86%
1950 5.4% 54% 87%
1951 11% 55% 85%
13%) 63
