Internal Olefins Global Market Report 2025

The internal olefins market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.86 billion in 2024 to $1.97 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6%. Growth during the historical period can be attributed to rising demand for high-performance lubricants, increased use of internal olefins in producing biodegradable surfactants, growing adoption of lightweight polymers, a heightened focus on sustainable and bio-based olefin feedstocks, and expanding demand from the personal care sector.

The internal olefins market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.45 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7%. Looking ahead, growth in the forecast period is expected to be driven by expanding applications of internal olefins in agrochemical formulations, increased consumption in the pharmaceutical industry, continued industrialization and urbanization, a growing shift toward energy-efficient lubricants, and rising demand for specialty chemicals. Key trends anticipated include advancements in catalytic processing, integration of bio-based feedstocks, innovations in metathesis techniques, progress in process automation, and new developments in olefin-based chemical formulations.

The growing oil and gas industry is expected to drive the expansion of the internal olefins market in the coming years. The oil and gas sector encompasses the exploration, production, processing, and transportation of petroleum and natural gas resources. This industry is experiencing growth due to expanding infrastructure in emerging economies, where countries are investing in pipelines, refineries, and storage facilities to support economic progress, address rising energy needs, and attract international investment. Internal olefins play a vital role in the oil and gas sector as essential intermediates used in the formulation of drilling fluids, lubricants, and surfactants, which help boost operational efficiency and enhance environmental performance. For instance, in June 2023, the International Energy Agency (IEA), a France-based intergovernmental organization, reported that global oil demand is projected to grow by 6% between 2022 and 2028, reaching 105.7 million barrels per day. Additionally, global upstream investments in oil and gas exploration, extraction, and production are expected to increase by 11% year-on-year, hitting a record USD 528 billion in 2023. Therefore, the expansion of the oil and gas industry is fueling the growth of the internal olefins market.

Leading companies in the internal olefins market are concentrating on developing advanced olefin production facilities to increase manufacturing capacity, enhance process efficiency, and respond to surging global demand. Olefin production facilities are industrial complexes equipped to manufacture, refine, and handle large volumes of olefin-based chemicals. For example, in July 2022, Chevron Phillips Chemical, a US-based petrochemical company, announced plans to expand its polyalphaolefins (PAO) production unit in Belgium. This investment aims to double the facility’s capacity to 120,000 metric tons per year, with operations expected to begin in 2024, subject to permit approvals. These PAOs, derived from alpha olefins, are used extensively in high-performance lubricants, providing superior fuel efficiency and emissions reductions through improved lubrication and thermal stability.

In May 2025, Pilot Chemical Company, a US-based chemical manufacturer, partnered with Novvi LLC to promote sustainable chemical solutions through collaborative innovation. This partnership integrates Novvi’s renewable feedstock platform with Pilot’s sulfonation technology to deliver high-performance, sulfate-alternative surfactants that support sustainability in various applications. Novvi LLC is a US-based company specializing in renewable, high-performance linear alpha olefins.

Major players in the internal olefins market are Shell plc, ExxonMobil Chemical, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd., Dow Chemical Company, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, LyondellBasell Industries, INEOS Group, Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., Evonik Industries AG, Braskem S.A., Sasol Limited, Westlake Corporation, Mitsui Chemicals Inc., Kao Corporation, Formosa Plastics Corporation, Clariant AG, Nova Chemicals Corporation, Qatar Petrochemical Company, Marun Petrochemical Company.

North America was the largest region in the internal olefins market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in internal olefins report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

The countries covered in the internal olefins market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Internal olefins are hydrocarbons characterized by a double bond positioned between two internal carbon atoms rather than at the terminal end of the carbon chain. Due to their stability and reactivity, they are widely used as intermediates in the production of surfactants, lubricants, and specialty chemicals.

The primary types of internal olefins include linear internal olefins, alpha-olefins, and others. Linear internal olefins are straight-chain hydrocarbons with double bonds located within the chain, commonly utilized in the production of high-performance surfactants, specialty chemicals, and lubricants. These olefins are produced through various processes such as steam cracking, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, thermal cracking, and metathesis. Their applications span across oil drilling, surfactants, lubricants, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and more. They are distributed via multiple channels, including direct sales, distributors, online retail, and wholesale, and serve a range of end-user industries such as automotive, construction, consumer goods, aerospace, electronics, and healthcare.

The internal olefins market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides internal olefins market statistics, including the internal olefins industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the internal olefins market share, detailed internal olefins market segments, market trends, opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the internal olefins industry. This internal olefin market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The internal olefins market consists of sales of cyclic olefins, iso-olefins and vinylidene olefins. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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