Asia and Middle East FCC Catalyst Market – Industry Report, 2030

Operational Adjustments Help Refiners to Respond in Low Demand Environments during Coronavirus

A supply/demand imbalance has caused the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market to tumble during the coronavirus (COVID-19) era. Hence, refiners are adopting unique operating strategies as a response to the low demand environment. Since fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst is at the heart of most refinery configurations, refiners are playing out operating adjustments in order to respond to the supply/demand imbalance. In order to achieve this, manufacturers have lowered their FCC catalyst products charge rates to cope in low demand environments.

FCC catalyst manufacturers are practicing limited shutdown in plants as a response to the supply/demand imbalance. Their technical service teams are adopting the low-severity mode of operation in their FCCs to reduce gasoline. Likewise, manufacturers are pushing higher severity of FCC operations to overcrack gasoline in the form of lighter products. As such, undercutting is being used in both the solutions to minimize the production of gasoline.

These factors are expected to drive the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market.

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Innovative Technologies Give Rise to FCC Catalysts for Better Economic Performance

The demand for FCC catalyst products is surging as refiners aim to deliver superior butylene over propylene selectivity in gas oil feedstock. For instance, in March 2024, BASF— a leading chemical producer company announced the launch of Fourtune™, an FCC catalyst, which delivers better economic performance through butylene selectivity, owing to the company’s Multiple Framework Topology (MFT) technology. Thus, companies in the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market are taking cues from world leaders in chemicals to innovate in FCC catalysts.

Superior butylene selectivity over propylene is important for achieving improved alkylate yield. Manufacturers in the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market are increasing their R&D capabilities to develop products that maintain superior catalyst activity and performance. They are conducting commercial trials to validate the efficacy of FCC catalysts that deploy high conversion and high distillate yields.

Propylene FCC Additives Improve Profitability for Refiners in Crude-to-Chemical Applications

Companies in the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market are innovating in products that deploy superior propylene yields from resid or gas oil feedstocks. Such innovations are bolstering growth of the market, which is expected to reach a value of US$ 1.4 Bn by the end of 2027. New FCC products are enhancing the production of light olefins in processing units. Since refiners are focusing their shift toward petroleum feedstocks, manufacturers are increasing the availability of FCC catalysts that deliver superior propylene yields whilst maintaining the base catalyst performance.

The trend of conducting commercial trials is becoming increasingly commonplace in the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market. Companies are increasing the presence of zeolite active sites in propylene FCC additives, since refiners are increasingly shifting toward crude-to-chemical applications. They are committed to continuously innovate in propylene FCC additives that improve the refiner’s profitability.

Advanced Matrix Binding Systems Help Process Feedstocks Containing High Contaminant Metals

Refiners are seeking more value from moderate and heavy metal applications with the help of the FCC catalyst. Hence, companies in the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market are deploying world class R&D and making processing advances in FCC additives. They are creating advanced matrix binding systems that deliver superior coke selectivity and bottoms cracking from a single particle. Processing of heavy feedstocks containing high contaminant metals is another key driver, which is triggering the demand for FCC catalysts.

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With the help of new FCC additives, refiners can push operating constraints associated with high metal contamination and increase their volume gain. As such, manufacturers in the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market are increasing their product portfolio in FCC and hydroprocessing catalyst portfolios to serve specific needs of the refining industry.

FCC Pretreatment Solutions Enable Development of Catalyst Solutions to Meet Performance Goals

Custom-designed catalyst systems are some of the strategies that manufacturers are using to maximize the profitability of refiners. Manufacturers in the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market are appointing dynamic teams that work closely with customers and access FCC units (FCCU) to develop custom-designed catalyst products. As teams assess specific constraints in FCC complexes, manufacturers provide tailored solutions to refiners. Companies are focusing on providing FCC pretreatment solutions that help to maximize the profitability of refiners.

Industry-leading FCC pretreatment catalyst solutions help to meet specific performance goals of refiners. These solutions deploy innovations in custom-designed FCC additives that lie within the constraint set by the refiners. Thus, companies in the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market are realizing that a thorough study of the refiner’s integrated FCC complexes in important before designing FCC catalyst products.

Optimal Hierarchical Control Systems Overcome Limitations of FCCUs

The Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market is projected to advance at a modest CAGR of ~4% during the forecast period. This is evident since the optimal control systems in FCC units are insufficiently treated, which later affect catalytic cracking processes. Hence, manufacturers are increasing efforts to establish an optimal hierarchical control system that improves the efficiency of catalytic cracking processes. They are improving the mechanical design of the reactor and regenerator of FCC units to increase the efficiency of catalytic cracking processes.

FCC units play an instrumental role in the petroleum industry. Hence, companies in the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market are ensuring maximum safety and stability in FCC units that help to produce new catalyst additives. They are constantly monitoring the cracking gas compressors of FCCUs to increase the catalytic cracking processes efficiency.

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Analysts’ Viewpoint

Effective strategies that help to reduce gasoline production amidst the COVID-19 pandemic include the use of ZSM-5-based additives in FCCs to yield propylene and butylene in order to respond to the supply/demand imbalance. Manufacturers are entering joint development agreements to address the challenges faced by refinery industries. As such, stringent performance constraints of refiners act as a hurdle for companies in the Asia and Middle East FCC catalyst market. Hence, manufacturers are gaining efficacy in industry-leading FCC pretreatment catalyst solutions to provide custom-design additives. They are making improvements in the mechanical designs of FCC units to maintain optimum efficiency in catalytic cracking processes.