US Exports of Key Chemical Feedstock Surge as War Upends Trade

US exports of a crucial feedstock for petrochemicals are surging as the Iran war cuts off supplies from the Mideast, prompting buyers in Japan to turn to Texas and Louisiana.

The US exported about 15 million barrels of naphtha in March — the most ever for a single month, according to the analytics firm Kpler. Another firm, Vortexa, estimated the US exported 11.5 million barrels last month, which would be the most in four years. The refined oil product is used to make basic chemicals that are building blocks for plastics, rubber, detergents and more.