Methanex sees Chile restarts in coming weeks

25 July 2007 18:36  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--Global methanol supplier Methanex said on Wednesday that it expected two units at its production facility in southern Chile to restart in the next few weeks as natural gas exports from Argentina resume.

The company continues to operate only one of four lines at the 3.84m tonne/year production complex in Punta Arenas, Chile, primarily because of equipment failures affecting two major Argentinean natural gas suppliers, chief executive Bruce Aitken said.

Aitken described second-quarter operating results in Chile as disappointing.

He added, "As recent technical issues impacting gas supply are currently being resolved, we expect to restart our plants in Chile on a staged basis and have all four production plants operating by the fourth quarter."

The production shortfall in Chile resulted in lower methanol inventories in the second quarter.

However, Aitken said inventories remained in a comfortable position, bolstered by supplemental purchasing and strong operating rates at Methanex plants in New Zealand and Trinidad.

He said the Atlas plant in Trinidad was running well above design capacity since a maintenance shutdown in April.

Aitken also dismissed recent reports that natural gas curtailments would affect methanol production in Trinidad. “We expect little, if any, disruptions to our gas supply,” he said of the ongoing projects to upgrade Trinidad’s natural gas infrastructure and tie in new gas sources.

By: David Barry
+1 713 525 2653

< previous article(VIDEO - ICIS news Asia Lunchtime Bulletin 30 October 2009)

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly