US export prices for acetonitrile have continued a solid uptrend through June, supported by tight local supply, firm international demand, and recent scheduled plant shutdowns. The trend has been considerably boosted by the temporary shut-in of the INEOS Nitriles facility at Green Lake, Texas, from May 21 to May 29, 2025, for industrial repairs. Although described as having "no direct impact," market players report a quantifiable reduction in availability in the spot market, adding to prevailing supply-side stress.
The Green Lake plant, among the largest U.S. acrylonitrile production plants, is an indirect powerhouse for acetonitrile production, considering its byproduct configuration. While the outage was brief, it fell during already depleted inventory levels for North American producers. The impact of the disruption has created a ripple effect on supplies of acetonitrile for export, particularly high-purity grades for pharmaceutical and analytical end-use markets.
The overall market fundamentals are still bullish. From the supply side, U.S. producers still run under restricted production rates from previous maintenance cycles, and demand for acrylonitrile鈥攖he main product鈥攔emains lukewarm under poor ABS resin consumption. Consequently, fewer acetonitriles are being co-produced, further limiting exportable cargoes available. The Green Lake shutdown merely compounded this imbalance, even if classified as a scheduled event with "no impact."
On the international side, Acetonitrile demand is firm. Indian and South Korean buyers have increased purchases from the U.S. amid constrained regional supplies. In China, continued environmental restrictions and sporadic production disruptions remain to confine domestic production, compelling traders and end-users to look for stable alternative supplies. European Acetonitrile buyers confronted with high utility prices and sparse regional capacity are similarly dependent on U.S. supplies, further reducing the export window.
Logistical expenses are also driving the hike in Acetonitrile cost. Freight rates for U.S. Gulf Coast continue to be high because of container repositioning issues and trucking delays, even as port operations return to normal. These delays and elevated landed costs are being passed on to FOB prices, which increased by almost 7鈥�9% month-over-month through late May and early June.
The relative weakness of the U.S. dollar has provided additional attractiveness to American exports, which have become more competitively valued for foreign purchasers even as prices rise nominally. This exchange dynamic is bolstering global Acetonitrile offtake, underpinning firm pricing on all key trade lanes.
In short, while the INEOS shutdown was temporary and scheduled, timing imposed an added dimension of restraint on a previously tight supply situation. Adding that to robust global demand and ongoing logistical resistance, the trend for U.S. export prices for acetonitrile is strongly upward leading into Q3 2025.
