Key Players
Competitive Landscape
Refiners approve catalyst and chemical suppliers through pilot-plant tests, unit trials and licensor guarantees, and the licensor that designs a unit often supplies the first catalyst fill. Honeywell UOP's role at Hengyi Phase II covers licensing, engineering, proprietary equipment and catalysts in one package.[1] Treatment chemical suppliers compete on service teams at site, monitoring and dosing control.
Albemarle sold control of the refining catalyst business and the full Eurecat stake in early 2026.[3] Sales of that kind are reshaping the rules of competition in refinery chemicals, since new majority owners renegotiate catalyst supply terms with refiners. Clariant expects full-year Catalysts sales below 2025 after Middle East order delays.[2] Refiners will gain bargaining power on catalyst pricing as owners change and backlogs shrink.
Company developments mapped to drivers, trends and opportunities (2026-2036)
| Development | Driver | Trend | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026: Honeywell UOP supplies technologies and catalysts for Hengyi Phase II in Brunei. | New Asian refining capacity. | Licensor-led catalyst supply. | First fills for hydrocracking and reforming. |
| March 2026: Albemarle sells 51% of the refining catalyst business. | Portfolio focus at lithium producers. | Catalyst ownership change. | New owner investment in FCC and hydroprocessing grades. |
| July 2026: Ecolab adds a global energy surcharge. | Rising energy and commodity costs. | Surcharges in treatment contracts. | Value pricing for water programs. |
Source: Future Market Insights, Refinery Process Chemicals Market Report, 2026-2036.
Clariant reported weaker Syngas and Fuels and Propylene catalyst sales in the first half of 2026.[2] Suppliers with Indian and Chinese project pipelines will offset slower Middle East orders through 2027.
Who leads the refinery process chemicals market?
Catalysts form the largest product type at 38.0%, so catalyst makers such as Honeywell UOP, W. R. Grace, Albemarle, Johnson Matthey, Clariant and BASF compete for the largest product segment. Ecolab, through Nalco Water, reported second-quarter Global Water sales of USD 2,215.5 million.[4]
Which companies have documented positions?
Honeywell UOP holds the technology and catalyst package for Hengyi Phase II.[1] Clariant reports Catalysts as a separate business unit.[2]
What should buyers evaluate before approving a supplier?
Refiners check catalyst activity and selectivity in pilot tests, cycle length, metals tolerance and licensor guarantees. For treatment chemicals, refiners weigh on-site service, monitoring and cost per barrel treated.
How is competition expected to change through 2036?
Licensors will bundle catalysts with process technology on new Asian complexes. Treatment suppliers will add energy surcharges and performance-based contracts at existing refineries.
Representative Company Overview
| Company | Positioning | Recent development |
|---|---|---|
| Honeywell UOP | Process licensor and catalyst supplier | October 2026: Hengyi Phase II technology and catalyst package. |
| Clariant | Catalyst producer with a Catalysts business unit | July 2026: Q2 Catalysts sales down 13.3% in local currency. |
| Ecolab | Water and process treatment programs | July 2026: global energy surcharge in pricing. |
Research Methodology
The companies included in the report represent current market structure and do not indicate a market-share ranking. Each cited fact traces to a company result, an EIA or IEA release, or a refining trade report dated May 2025 or later.
