Fluid Catalyst CrackingMarket Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Technological Configuration (Side-by-Side Type, Stacked Type), By Type (LVR-60, ORBIT-3600, CHV-1, RAG-7), By End-User (Refinery, Environmental, Others) and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032

Fluid catalyst cracking (FCC) is the most important conversion process used in petroleum refineries. It is a chemical process which uses a catalyst to form new, smaller molecules from larger molecules to make gasoline and distillate fuels. Generally cracking of petroleum hydrocarbons was done by thermal cracking, which has been completely replaced by fluid catalyst cracking due to its ability to produce more gasoline with higher octane number.

FCC uses a portion of the crude oil as feedstock which has an initial boiling point of 340°C or higher at atmospheric pressure and an average molecular weight ranging from about 200 to 600 or higher. FCC uses catalyst and heat to break down large molecules of oil & gas into smaller molecules to make up gasoline, distillate, and other higher-value products like butane and propane.

Key Market Driver -

Key Market Driver – Growing investment in refineries and massive demand of hydrocarbons

Key Market Restraint -

Key Market Restraint – Volatile price of oil and gas

Since the ongoing demand for hydrocarbon is rapidly growing and it is very essential to adopt a process for maximum production. FCC not only converts heavy petroleum fractions into light hydrocarbon products inside a reactor but also maximize the production efficiency of the refinery.

Fluid catalyst cracking market is segmented into the configuration, type, and end-user. The configuration is further divided into the side-by-side type and stacked type. In side-by-side type, catalyst reactor and generator are within two different vessels while stacked type FCC is designed to operate with an only single stage of regeneration and do not maintain any provision for external heat removal from the catalyst. Orbit and CHV series are a common type of catalyst used in a wide range of application owing to its heavy oil cracking ability. FCC is majorly used in refineries to enhance the production of gasoline products and petrochemical by-products. 

The tremendous increase in domestic and international transportation has increased the demand hydrocarbon. Simultaneously the rapid investment by private and government bodies to meet the increasing demand for oil and gas is fuelling the demand for fluid catalyst cracking.

Oil and gas industry is susceptible to persistent fluctuation in market dynamics which hamper its growth and shifting trends towards renewable energy sources is expected to retard the growth of the fluid catalyst cracking the market.

Key Players Covered:

Some of the key players operating in the global fluid catalyst cracking market are Albemarle Corporation, W. R. Grace & Co., BASF, Wood, Haldor Topsoe A/S, Shell, McDermott International Inc., ExxonMobil, Chevron Lummus Global (CLG), Honeywell, Axens, Johnson Matthey, and Sud-Chemie

Regional Analysis:

The fluid catalyst cracking is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to grow significantly owing to increased export of oil and gas to Canada and other countries. Increasing demand from refineries is anticipating the growth of the fluid catalyst cracking market in North America. Increasing investment in automotive and expansion of refineries is fuelling the demand for fluid catalyst cracking market in Europe.

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The Asia Pacific is expected to lead the fluid catalyst cracking market owing to massive investment by China in expanding refineries to meet the increasing demand for oil and gas. The refinery in Jamnagar, India is one of the largest refinery having a capacity for processing 580,000 BPD of crude. Government and private entities are aiming to multiply the refinery infrastructure which drives the growth of the fluid catalyst cracking market.

Segmentation

Key Industry Developments

• In July 2019, IOCL awarded a contract to McDermott International for the technology license, training, and technical services for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit using INDMAX technology. The FCC unit is part of the expansion project for IOCL to expand into petrochemicals at the complex in Panipat, Haryana.


• In April 2019, W. R. Grace & Co. signed an agreement with TechnipFMC to jointly develop enhanced catalyst and process technology for TechnipFMC Deep Catalytic Cracking.


• In November 2018, BASF is proud to launch Valor fluid catalytic cracking catalyst technology to improve FCC catalyst performance processing heavy residuum (resid) oil feedstock.