Process catalysts, Grace, BASF, Topsoe

Without catalysts, heavy chemistry stops: fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) zeolites that turn oil into fuels and olefins, promoted iron in the Haber-Bosch process that fixes nitrogen, cobalt-iron in Fischer-Tropsch. The know-how is concentrated in a handful of formulators, Grace and BASF account for about 40% of FCC. These powders also consume rare earths (lanthanum, cerium) that stabilise the zeolites, grafting a Chinese dependence into the heart of refining.