Product Overview

What is Commodity Production Costs?

Commodity Production Costs is a library of professional, independent reports that examine the full capital and operating costs of commodity manufacturing processes — available for individual purchase, not as a subscription.

The library contains 858 reports covering production processes for 264 commodities across 10 industries: Olefins & Derivatives, Polymers, Oil & Energy, Aromatics & Derivatives, Alcohols & Organic Acids, Fertilizers & Gases, Inorganic Chemicals, Food & Nutrition, Pharmaceuticals, and Metals & Mining.

Each report is a comprehensive techno-economic study of a specific production process, built on the most recent economic data. Reports are available in three editions — Compact, Detailed, and Premium — at transparent, published prices starting at $799.

The product line has been developed since 2002 using a consistent methodology that ensures reliability and comparability across all reports.

What does a production cost report contain?

Every report provides a complete techno-economic study of a specific manufacturing process, covering process description, capital costs, operating costs, and supporting data. The level of detail varies by edition.

Included in all editions:

• Process Description — Commodity brief, commercial forms and applications, production routes, technology maturity assessment, industrial site configuration, ISBL and OSBL descriptions, raw materials and utilities consumption, and labor requirements.
• Process Diagrams — Schematic diagram and block flow diagram (BFD).
• Capital Cost Summary (CAPEX) — Total plant capital cost, owner's cost, working capital, and additional capital.
• Operating Cost Summary (OPEX) — Raw materials costs, utility costs, co-product credits, fixed costs, depreciation, corporate overhead, and return on capital employed (ROCE).
• Production Costs Datasheet
• References and Analysis Methodology

Added in Detailed and Premium editions:

• Utilities consumption details and pricing data
• Detailed CAPEX breakdowns (ISBL, OSBL, contingency, owner's cost, working capital)
• Detailed OPEX breakdowns (utilities, fixed costs, corporate overhead)
• Downloadable PDF

Premium edition only:

• Process Flow Diagrams (PFD) and equipment list
• Project implementation and construction schedule
• Plant cost breakdowns per discipline
• Plant Capacity Assessment (CAPEX and OPEX for different capacities)
• Technical support via email

Do these reports cover CAPEX and OPEX?

Yes. Every report — regardless of edition — covers both capital cost (CAPEX) and operating cost (OPEX). The level of detail increases with the edition.

Capital Costs (CAPEX):

• All editions: Total plant capital cost, owner's cost, working capital, additional capital.
• Detailed and Premium: ISBL and OSBL capital costs, contingencies, owner's cost details, working capital details, additional capital requirements details.
• Premium only: ISBL and OSBL construction cost breakdowns, plant cost breakdown per discipline.

Operating Costs (OPEX):

• All editions: Raw materials costs, total utility cost, co-product credits, total fixed costs, depreciation, corporate overhead, return on capital employed (ROCE).
• Detailed and Premium: Materials and utilities pricing data, utilities cost details, fixed costs details, corporate overhead details.

The Premium edition also includes a Plant Capacity Assessment that shows how both CAPEX and OPEX scale across different plant capacities — useful for investment screening at different production scales.

Are these reports subscriptions or one-time purchases?

Commodity Production Costs reports are one-time purchases, not subscriptions. Each report is purchased individually at a fixed price based on the edition selected — Compact ($799), Detailed ($1,599), or Premium (from $2,699). There is no recurring billing and no renewal.

This model differs from other Intratec products such as Primary Commodity Prices, Energy Prices & Markets, and Industry Economics Worldwide, which are sold as annual subscriptions. With production cost reports, you pay once and receive your report.

Do volume discounts apply when buying reports?

Yes. Volume discounts of up to 30% are available when purchasing multiple reports for the same commodity.

How accurate are the cost estimates in reports?

All Commodity Production Costs reports are Class 4 budgetary estimates. This classification is standard in engineering cost estimation and indicates an order-of-magnitude level of accuracy appropriate for investment screening, feasibility assessments, and early-stage project planning.

The preliminary process design contained in the reports is intended for cost estimation purposes only and should not be used as an actual process design basis for detailed engineering or construction.

How does this compare to conventional cost studies?

The key differences lie in consistency, data currency, pricing transparency, and accessibility.

The standardized structure means that a chemical engineer evaluating five production routes can use the same analytical framework across all five reports. There is no need to reconcile different reporting conventions or request custom studies through a lengthy procurement process.

Before and After Purchase

Can I see a sample report before buying?

Yes. Two types of preview content are available at no cost before purchasing:

• Full samples — Complete sample reports with the same structure and depth as purchased reports, available for each edition. Sample commodities include Propylene from Ethylene and Butenes (all editions), Ethanol from Wood Chips (Compact and Detailed), and Ethylene Glycol from CO2 (Compact only).
• Report previews — Available on every individual report page on the Intratec website. Click the orange "SEE PREVIEW" button on any report page to access a general overview of the report contents and structure.

Full samples are the most effective way to evaluate content depth before committing to a purchase.

Browse full samples

How long does report delivery take?

Delivery time depends on the shipping option selected at checkout:

• Standard delivery: 3 to 10 business days
• Express delivery: 1 to 5 business days (additional cost applies)

All reports are refreshed with up-to-date data before delivery, regardless of the option chosen. Compact edition reports are delivered as read-only online PDFs; Detailed and Premium edition reports are delivered as downloadable PDFs.

How long can I access my report online?

Online access to purchased reports is available for 365 days from the delivery date.

The 365-day window applies to all editions. Detailed and Premium edition reports are also delivered as downloadable PDFs, so you can save a local copy for access beyond the online window. Compact edition reports are read-only online PDFs and cannot be downloaded.

After You Buy

Is there technical support after purchasing?

Technical support is available exclusively for Premium edition purchasers. Support is provided via email under the following terms:

• Response time: Up to 3 business days
• Scope: Up to 4 man-hours of support (approximately 6 questions)
• Eligibility window: Within 21 calendar days after report delivery

Support is not included with Compact or Detailed edition purchases.

Can I upgrade to a higher report edition later?

Yes. It is possible to upgrade a previously purchased report to a higher edition at any time. The upgrade fee corresponds to the price difference between your current edition and the target edition.

To upgrade:

1. Log in at intratec.us
2. Go to My Products
3. Filter to locate the report you want to upgrade
4. Select the report
5. Click Upgrade