Editing Methyl tert-butyl ether (section)

==Production and properties==
MTBE is manufactured via the [[chemical reaction]] of [[methanol]] and [[isobutylene]]. Methanol is primarily derived from [[natural gas]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=How is Methanol Produced |url=https://www.methanol.org/methanol-production/ |access-date=2020-06-29 |website=METHANOL INSTITUTE |language=en-US}}</ref> where [[steam reforming]] converts the various light hydrocarbons in natural gas (primarily methane) into carbon monoxide and hydrogen.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Anzelmo |first1=Bryce |last2=Wilcox |first2=Jennifer |last3=Liguori |first3=Simona |title=Hydrogen production via natural gas steam reforming in a Pd-Au membrane reactor. Investigation of reaction temperature and GHSV effects and long-term stability |url=https://users.wpi.edu/~jlwilcox/documents/bryce_hpv.pdf |journal=Journal of Membrane Science |pages=25–32 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The resulting gases then further react in the presence of a catalyst to form methanol.<ref>{{Cite web |title=methanol {{!}} Properties, Production, Uses, & Poisoning |url=https://www.britannica.com/science/methanol |access-date=2020-06-29 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> Isobutylene can be produced through a variety of methods. [[Butane|''n''-butane]] can be isomerized into [[isobutane]] which can be dehydrogenated to isobutylene.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) Production and Manufacturing Process |url=https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2007/11/05/9076055/methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether-mtbe-production-and-manufacturing-process |access-date=2020-06-29 |website=ICIS Explore |language=en-US}}</ref> In the Halcon process, ''t''-Butyl hydroperoxide derived from isobutane oxygenation is treated with [[propylene]] to produce [[propylene oxide]] and [[Tert-Butyl alcohol|''t''-butanol]]. The ''t''-butanol can be dehydrated to isobutylene.

MTBE production across the globe has been steady because of its positive impact on engine performance.<ref name="Ullmann2">Werner Dabelstein, Arno Reglitzky, Andrea Schütze and Klaus Reders "Automotive Fuels" in ''Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry'' 2007, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. {{doi|10.1002/14356007.a16_719.pub2}}</ref> The global demand has been mainly driven by growing Asian markets.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Elvers |first=Barbara |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CN4_EAAAQBAJ&pg=PA419 |title=Handbook of Fuels: Energy Sources for Transportation |last2=Schütze |first2=Andrea |date=2021-12-20 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-3-527-33385-1 |language=en}}</ref> Chinese capacity grew from ~18 million metric tons in 2017<ref>{{Cite web |last=Huang |first=Winnie |title=OUTLOOK '18: China biofuel promotion may hit domestic MTBE market |url=https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2018/01/02/10178676/outlook-18-china-biofuel-promotion-may-hit-domestic-mtbe-market/ |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=ICIS Explore |language=en-US}}</ref> to ~22 millions in 2023, with actual production standing at ~16 millions in the same year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SunSirs: China MTBE Market is on the Rise in 2023, What is the trend in 2024? |url=https://www.sunsirs.com/uk/detail_news-16659.html |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=www.sunsirs.com}}</ref>

===US perspective===
Under pressure from the bioethanol lobby,<ref name="Ullmann2"/> production of MTBE in the U.S. peaked in 1999 at 260,000 barrels per day<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The United States continues to export MTBE, mainly to Mexico, Chile, and Venezuela - Today in Energy - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)|url=https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=36614 |access-date=2020-06-28 |website=www.eia.gov}}</ref> before dropping down due to [[Methyl tert-butyl ether#Regulation and litigation in the U.S.|environmental and health concerns]] to about 50,000 barrels per day and holding steady,<ref>{{Cite web |title=United States {{!}} Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE): Production {{!}} Economic Indicators |url=https://www.ceicdata.com/en/united-states/production/methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether-mtbe-production |access-date=2020-06-28 |website=www.ceicdata.com}}</ref> mostly for the export market. After the purchase of [[SABIC]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aramco completes its acquisition of a 70% stake in SABIC from the Public Investment Fund (PIF) |url=https://www.saudiaramco.com/en/news-media/news/2020/saudi-aramco-completes-acquisition-of-70-percent-stake-in-sabic |access-date=2020-06-29 |website=www.saudiaramco.com |date=17 June 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-06-14 |title=Saudi Aramco buys SABIC shares on market as it completes acquisition |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-sabic-deals-idUSKBN23L0EQ |access-date=2020-06-29}}</ref> oil giant [[Saudi Aramco]] is now considered to be the world's largest producer<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saudi Aramco to have largest MTBE capacity in Middle East and Asia |url=https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/news/saudi-aramco-mtbe-capacity-middle-east-asia/ |access-date=2020-06-29 |language=en-US}}</ref> with an estimated production capacity of 2.37 million metric tons per year (mt/yr).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-04-09 |title=Saudi Aramco's MTBE trading volume likely to rise after Sabic purchase {{!}} S&P Global Platts |url=https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/oil/040919-saudi-aramcos-mtbe-trading-volume-likely-to-rise-after-sabic-purchase |access-date=2020-06-29 |website=www.spglobal.com |language=en}}</ref> Worldwide production capacity of MTBE in 2018 was estimated to be 35 million metric tons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MTBE annual production capacity globally 2023 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1067431/mtbe-production-capacity-globally/ |access-date=2020-06-28 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref>