Linear Alkylbenzene (LAB) for Detergent Sulphonation

C10-C13 LAB bought on molecular weight, bromine index and 2-phenyl content, in chemical-tanker parcels and ISO tanks

Linear alkylbenzene is made by dehydrogenating C10-C14 normal paraffins cut from kerosene to linear olefins and alkylating them onto benzene, and nearly all of it is sulphonated into linear alkylbenzene sulphonic acid for laundry powders, liquids and dishwash. A buyer's sulphonation plant reads three numbers on the certificate of analysis. Average molecular weight, around 240 for the common grades, fixes how much SO3 the plant feeds. Bromine index measures residual olefins that darken the acid. 2-phenyl isomer content depends on the catalyst: HF plants make LAB at roughly 15-18% 2-phenyl, while solid-catalyst Detal plants run above 25%, which sulphonates more readily and gives a more soluble sulphonate. Moeve Chemicals, for example, sells an HF grade at under 20% 2-phenyl and Detal grades across a 15-35% range. UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations under HS 3817.00, which also covers other mixed alkylbenzenes and alkylnaphthalenes, total USD 2.18 billion and about 1.14 million MT across 49 reporters, led by Saudi Arabia at USD 595 million and 384,400 MT, the USA at USD 282 million, Canada at USD 226 million, China at USD 193 million, South Korea at USD 169 million, Egypt at USD 115 million and Thailand at USD 114 million. Those are declared export values, not offers.

The producers are few and named. Farabi Petrochemicals' Yanbu plant on the Saudi Red Sea adds 120,000 MT a year; Moeve Chemicals (formerly Cepsa Química) runs LAB at San Roque in Spain at 200,000 MT a year, at Bécancour in Canada at 120,000 MT and at Camaçari in Brazil, which supplies about 85% of Brazil's detergent industry; Egyptian Linear Alkyl Benzene (ELAB) in Alexandria produced a record 141,000 MT in 2025; Unggul Indah Cahaya at Merak in Indonesia has 270,000 MT of alkylbenzene capacity; ISU Chemical at Ulsan has 180,000 MT; and in India Reliance (135,000 MT at Patalganga and Vadodara), Tamilnadu Petroproducts (145,000 MT after its March 2026 expansion), Indian Oil and Nirma make LAB mostly for the home market, with India declaring only USD 4.4 million of exports in 2024. LAB is carried as not regulated under ADR and IMDG on producer safety data sheets, and moves in chemical-tanker parcels, carried under the IBC Code product listing the vessel operator confirms, and in ISO tanks. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers LAB against the producer's certificate of analysis per lot, safety data sheet, certificate of origin and, for EU imports, REACH registration held by the importer or only representative, with inspection by SGS or Intertek at loading on parcels, on FOB, CFR and CIF terms; freight on bulk parcels is quoted through the chartering desk. Price is per MT on grade, with the index basis stated in each offer. Send the grade, 2-phenyl range, tonnage, packing and discharge port, and the enquiry is screened and worked against it.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.