Introduction: Due to reduced supply of industrial-grade C10 heavy aromatics, domestic durene production units using the C10 method are facing raw material shortages. Additionally, synthetic durene has not been released to the market. As a result, the operating rate of the durene industry is around 23%. However, many downstream pyromellitic anhydride (PMDA) oxidation units have reduced their operating rates, which has negatively impacted durene market transactions and dragged market prices down further.

1. Multiple Domestic Reforming Units Undergo Maintenance, Reducing Supply of Industrial-Grade C10 Heavy Aromatics

Table 1: Partial List of Domestic Reforming Unit Maintenance

| Producer | Unit | Capacity (10,000 t/a) | Start Date | End Date |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Hebei Zhongjie | Reforming | 15 | 2026/3/20 | -- |
| Qingdao Lidong | Reforming | 3 | 2026/3/31 | 2026/5/21 |
| Jinling Petrochemical | Reforming | 10 | 2026/4/15 | 2026/6/1 |
| CNOOC Taizhou | Reforming | 22 | 2026/4/27 | 2026/6/27 |
| Yangzi Petrochemical | Reforming | 20 | 2026/5/17 | 2026/7/1 |
| Zhoushan Petrochemical | Reforming | 6 | 2026/5/1 | -- |
| Ningbo Zhongjin | Reforming | 24 | 2026/5/29 | -- |
| Total | | 94 | -- | -- |

Source: chempricehub Information

According to chempricehub Information statistics, units at Ningbo Zhongjin and Zhoushan Petrochemical are under maintenance in June. Additionally, some large refining-chemical integrated enterprises like Zhejiang Petrochemical have reduced their external supply of industrial-grade C10 heavy aromatics. Consequently, spot supply of industrial-grade C10 heavy aromatics is tight. Meanwhile, downstream profit margins are approaching breakeven or have already turned negative. Under these bearish factors, the willingness of cutting plants to operate is insufficient. It is reported that several cutting plants in Shandong have reduced operating rates or even shut down due to raw material shortages.

2. Durene Plant Operating Rates Remain at a Continuous Low

Due to the tight spot supply of industrial-grade C10 heavy aromatics, raw material availability for C10-method durene units has decreased. Units like Shandong Saier's C10-method durene plant remain shut down. Therefore, the overall operating rate of C10-method durene units is low at around 23.0%. At the same time, synthetic durene units have not yet started operations, so the market still maintains a relatively strong stance on price support.

3. Supply Tightness Cannot Offset Demand Weakness; Durene Prices Decline Again

Table 2: Price List for Domestic Durene and Related Products (June 5-12, 2026)

Unit: Yuan/ton

| Product | Region | Avg. Price Current Period | Avg. Price Prior Period | Change |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Industrial-grade C10 Heavy Aromatics | East China | 5500 | 5500 | 0 |
| High Boiling Point Aromatic Solvent SA1500# | East China | 6050 | 5883 | +167 |
| Durene | National | 15000 | 20000 | -5000 |
| Pyromellitic Anhydride (PMA) | Shandong | 35000 | 35000 | 0 |
| Pyromellitic Dianhydride (PMDA) | Shandong | 40000 | 40000 | 0 |

Source: chempricehub Information

Although the durene industry operates at a low utilization rate, downstream PMDA manufacturers are experiencing sluggish sales due to weak end-user demand. Some manufacturers, in particular, have reduced prices to move inventory, causing processing margins to decline sharply. Producers are unwilling to operate actively, and most have opted for catalyst replacement to lower operating rates. This, in turn, suppresses transactions in the durene market and drags down manufacturers' selling prices.

In the short term, from late June to July, domestic reforming units at Dongfang Shenghong (Oriental Energy) and Fujian Fuhaichuang (Fujian Refining & Chemical) will undergo maintenance, exacerbating the tight supply of industrial-grade C10 heavy aromatics. However, the pyromellitic anhydride market is expected to operate at low levels due to bearish factors such as limited terminal demand, with no rebound anticipated. Therefore, the durene market is expected to see stagnant buying and selling, with overall prices stabilizing with narrow fluctuations. Key factors influencing future durene price trends will include crude oil futures price movements, changes in the supply of industrial-grade C10 heavy aromatics, and the operating rates of crude anhydride and PMDA units.