MTBE Production from Isobutylene
MTBE Production Costs Report | Issue D | Q3 2024
Report Details |
700 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages |
This report presents a cost analysis of a 700 kta (kilo metric ton per annum) United States-based plant. You can add a customized cost analysis, assuming another location (country), when ordering a premium edition of this report.
Report Abstract
This report presents a techno-economic analysis of MTBE production from methanol and isobutylene in the Unites States. In this process, similar to UOP Ethermax process, a isobutylene-rich stream obtained from an isobutane dehydrogenation plant is etherified with methanol, producing MTBE.
The report provides a comprehensive study of MTBE production and related MTBE production cost, covering three key aspects: a complete description of the MTBE production process examined; an in-depth analysis of the related MTBE plant capital cost (Capex); and an evaluation of the respective MTBE plant operating costs (Opex).
The MTBE production process description includes a block flow diagram (BFD), an overview of the industrial site installations, detailing both the process unit and the necessary infrastructure, process consumption figures and comprehensive process flow diagrams (PFD). The MTBE plant capital cost analysis breaks down the Capex by plant cost (i.e., ISBL, OSBL and Contingency); owner's cost; working capital; and costs incurred during industrial plant commissioning and start-up. The MTBE plant operating costs analysis covers operating expenses, including variable costs like raw materials and utilities, and fixed costs such as maintenance, labor, and depreciation.
Process Schematic

The process under analysis comprises two major sections: (1) Etherification reaction; and (2) Isobutane and Methanol Recovery.
Etherification reaction. Fresh and recycled methanol reacts with the isobutylene content in the isobutylene feedstream, in liquid phase, to form MTBE. This reaction is conducted in two stages. The first stage is carried out in an adiabatic reactor at 16 bar and relatively low temperature (55°C) in order to favor thermodynamic conversion, around 90% of the isobutylene is converted in this stage. The second stage is comprised of a reaction with distillation column, in which a section of a distillation column is replaced by a catalyst packing section. This section enables the continuous removal of MTBE product from the reaction medium, making it possible to overcome the equilibrium constraints to isobutylene conversion reaching figures as high as 99%. The top product of this column, mostly composed of isobutane and the excess methanol, is transferred to the Wash Column.
Isobutane and Methanol Recovery. Initially, in a extraction column excess methanol is extracted by contact with water resulting in a methanol-water mixture and a stream containing isobutane and light end contaminants. The methanol-water mixture is distilled to recover methanol, that is recycled to compose the feed stream of the first reactor. The hydrocarbons stream from the Wash Column is then introduced into a depropanizer column to eliminate light end impurities (C3- products). These light ends are consumed in the process as fuel, while the C4s by-products stream, composed mainly by isobutane, is directed to the integrated unit.
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Production Process Information
Process Consumptions
Labor Requirements
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Operating Cost Summary
Production Costs Datasheet
Plant Capital Cost Details
Operating Cost Details
Plant Cost Breakdowns
Plant Capacity Assessment
Process Flow Diagrams
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Content Highlights
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Summary outlining the capital cost required for building the MTBE production plant examined
Plant Capital Cost Details
Detailing of fixed capital (ISBL, OSBL & Owner’s Cost), working capital and additional capital requirements
Plant Cost Breakdowns
Breakdown of MTBE process unit (ISBL) costs and infrastructure (OSBL) costs; plant cost breakdown per discipline
Operating Costs Summary
Summary presenting the operating variable costs and the total operating cost of the MTBE production plant studied
Operating Cost Details
Detailing of utilities costs, operating fixed costs and depreciation
Plant Capacity Assessment
Comparative analysis of capital investment and operating costs for different MTBE plant capacities
Production Process Information
Block Flow Diagram, descriptions of process unit (ISBL) and site infrastructure (OSBL)
Process Consumptions
Raw materials and utilities consumption figures, by-products credits, labor requirements
Process Diagrams
Process flow diagrams (PFD), equipment list and industrial site configuration
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Details: 700 kta China-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue B From $999 USD
The cost analyses presented in this report target a 700 kta (kilo metric ton per annum per annum) China-based plant. For those interested in cost analyses considering other plant capacities and/or locations, Intratec offers a customized analysis as an optional feature.
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