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Butylenes are four-carbon mono-olefins that find uses in fuel and chemical applications. Fuel markets account for about 90% of the world production of butylenes. The major fuel application is in the manufacture of gasoline blending components, such as gasoline alkylate, polymer gasoline and dimersol. Isobutylene serves as a raw material for the oxygenates, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE). Butylenes may also be blended directly into gasoline for volatility control. They are also marketed with propane and butanes as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Total world consumption of butylenes in 2004 was over 44 million metric tons. At about 10% of the total worldwide market for butylenes, the size of the chemical market for butylenes pales in comparison to that of the fuel market. n-Butenes are used as the precursor for sec-butyl alcohol, butadiene, butene-1 and other smaller applications. In the developed regions, the chemical market for n-butenes is growing slowly. There are segments like butene-1 that continue to demonstrate modest growth, but the majority of the n-butenes market is stagnant or declining. Similarly, chemical markets for isobutylene have grown slowly, especially because the consumption of MTBE in the United States slowed during 1999–2004 and is now projected to decline or be banned; other isobutylene derivatives such as butyl rubber and polybutenes are mature markets.
The following pie charts show world production and consumption of butylenes in 2004.
 
In the United States, chemical demand for n-butenes is expected to increase at only 0.7% per year during 2004–2009 despite moderate growth for butene-1. MTBE consumption is expected to decline sharply as a result of legislation against the use of MTBE in gasoline in California and several other states, and the possibility of a nationwide MTBE ban. Western European consumption of n-butenes for chemical use will grow at an average rate of 0.8% per year, while isobutylene use (excluding MTBE) will increase at roughly 1% per year during 2004–2009. The expected use of isobutylene for ETBE is expected to grow more rapidly; however, this will depend on various government policies. Japan’s chemical markets for n-butenes and isobutylene will average 0.6% and 0.2% annual growth, respectively, during 2004–2009.
The other important areas for butylenes are South and Central America, the Middle East, and Other Asia. In general, these areas have relatively small butylenes consumption for chemicals, but use large quantities of butylenes for fuel applications, particularly MTBE.
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