MTBE export talks stall as forward orders tumble

Concerns over tight feedstock supply and high costs, coupled with narrowing arbitrage windows, have stalled forward MTBE export negotiations. Orders for May and beyond have dropped sharply, while robust ETBE demand continues to cap MTBE premiums, heightening market uncertainty.

High feedstock costs and persistently narrowing domestic-international arbitrage spreads have frozen forward MTBE export discussions, with orders for May and beyond falling significantly from earlier levels. International MTBE Market Price, 2025-2026 (Unit: $/t) Source: OilChem MTBE exports face multiple headwinds. Orders for May and beyond have declined notably from earlier periods, and