text: The cost of surfactants is partially dependent on the crude oil market.  As a stock ingredient for production of surfactants, paints highly dependent on surfactants will be affected by this market.  More intricate surfactants with larger, more difficult to synthesize structure are more expensive to produce and have a greater effect on end market price of their applications. As a result, simple, easy to produce and more environmentally friendly surfactants are used more widely.