Antiscalants/Scale Inhibitors Market Expected to Reach $5.5 Billion by 2032—Allied Market Research

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “Antiscalants/Scale Inhibitors Market," The antiscalants/scale inhibitors market was valued at $3.5 billion in 2022, and is estimated to reach $5.5 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2023 to 2032.

Antiscalants are chemical compounds that are used to prevent the formation of scale in water treatment processes. Scale is a hard mineral deposit that can form on surfaces that come into contact with water that contains high levels of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium.

Antiscalants can be classified into various types based on their chemical composition, such as carboxylate, sulfonates, phosphonates, fluorides, and others. Antiscalants inhibit the growth and precipitation of mineral deposits on surfaces that come into contact with water, which helps to prevent the formation of scale. They achieve this by either sequestering the mineral ions, which prevents them from reacting and forming scale or by changing the crystal structure of the minerals, which makes it more difficult for them to form scale. It is used in reverse osmosis (RO) membrane systems, cooling water treatment, desalination, oil and gas production, and industrial boilers. 

The oil and gas industry seeks to optimize production and extend the life of wells, it is increasingly turning to techniques such as water flooding, which involves injecting water into the reservoir to increase pressure and push more oil or gas to the surface. This process can also increase the likelihood of scaling, making antiscalants essential to maintain production. In addition to that, environmental regulations are becoming stricter, leading to a greater focus on water conservation and reuse in industry. As water is recycled and reused, the concentration of scaling minerals increases, making antiscalants necessary to prevent scaling and maintain equipment performance. All these factors increase the demand for the antiscalants in the oil and gas industry.

However, antiscalants may not be effective for all types of scales or deposits. Some antiscalants may not be effective against certain types of organic deposits, or they may be less effective in high-temperature applications. According to the laboratory test results carried out to study antiscalant threshold effectiveness, most antiscalants are effective for up to 20 minutes at 95°C with up to 2 parts per million concentrations. While at a higher temperature of 110°C this effectiveness dropped down to less than 10 minutes. In addition to that, it may not be compatible with all chemicals used in a water treatment system. This can result in chemical reactions that reduce the effectiveness of the antiscalant or cause other problems in the system. This factor is anticipated to hamper the market growth. 

Carboxylate antiscalants are biodegradable and have low toxicity, making them a sustainable option for water treatment. The increasing awareness about environmental concerns is driving the demand for sustainable water treatment solutions, which is expected to fuel the growth of the carboxylate antiscalants market. Governments around the world are implementing stringent regulations on water quality and industrial waste management. This is driving the demand for antiscalants that are compliant with environmental regulations.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established guidelines and regulations for the safe and sustainable reuse of wastewater. The EPA recognizes that the reuse of wastewater can be an important water resource, particularly in areas where water scarcity is a concern. Advancements in antiscalant technology, including sulfonates antiscalants are driving growth in the market. New formulations are being developed that are more effective and environment friendly, which is expected to further increase demand for sulfonate antiscalants. All these factors are anticipated to offer new growth opportunities for antiscalants during the forecast period.

The antiscalants market is segmented on the basis of type, method, end-use industry, and region.

By type, the market is segmented into carboxylate, sulfonates, phosphonates, fluorides, and others. The phosphonates type accounted for morethan 30% of the antiscalants market share in 2022 and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period.

By method, the market is categorized into threshold inhibition, crystal modification, dispersion, and others. The threshold inhibition segment accounted for 40% antiscalants market share in 2022 and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period.

The end-use industry covered in the report includes oil & gas, water & wastewater treatment, power & construction, chemical industry, pulp & paper, mining, and others. Oil & gas segment accounted for 22% antiscalants market share in 2022 and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period.

By region, the market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. On the basis of region, Asia-Pacific accounted for major antiscalants market share in 2022 and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the fastest-growing market for antiscalants, the rise in the population in Asia-Pacific increases the demand for water treatment solutions to ensure clean and safe drinking water.

Key players in the antiscalants industry include Kemira Oyg, Clariant AG, General Electric, Dow Inc., Ashland, Avista Technologies, Solvay, Solenis, and Lenntech B.V.

Key findings of the study:

• By type, sulfonate antiscalant segment is estimated to display the highest growth rate, in terms of revenue, registering a CAGR of 5.1% from 2023 to 2032.
• By method, threshold inhibition accounted for major market share in 2022 and is estimated to display highest growth rate of 5.0% during the forecast period.
• By end-use industry, water & wastewater treatment end-user is estimated to display highest growth rate during the forecast period.
• The Asia-Pacific region is estimated to display the highest growth rate, in terms of revenue and accounted for a major share of around 40% in 2022.