In terms of competitive landscape and supply-chain complexity, the Pet Coke market is characterised by a mix of global majors (oil companies, refiners) and regional traders/exporters. Refiners producing heavy-crude by-products often generate pet coke and can integrate downstream logistics and exports. Meanwhile, traders and specialist warehousers facilitate movement from surplus regions to high-demand countries. The referenced research indicates that firms with strong logistics, port-access and long-term supply contracts are at an advantage.

Strategy in the pet coke market therefore hinges on integration and customer access. For example, a refiner may prefer to monetise its pet coke as a by-product and secure offtake agreements with cement or aluminium producers. Alternatively, a trading house could aggregate supply across multiple refiners and supply globally. Because of bulk nature, transportation cost matters significantly. Hence, geography, shipping cost, storage and rail/port infrastructure all influence competitive positioning in the Pet Coke market.