Ar-Razi starts test runs at new methanol plant

21 May 2008 08:53  [Source: ICIS news]

TOKYO (ICIS news)--Saudi Methanol Co (Ar-Razi) is conducting test runs at its new 1.7m tonnes/year methanol unit in Al-Jubail and plans to start commercial production in June, a spokeswoman from the Japanese parent Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC) said on Wednesday.

The unit, Ar-Razi’s fifth methanol plant, was constructed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, she said, adding that once it came on stream, the complex would have the world’s largest methanol capacity of 5m tonnes/year.

Meanwhile, MGC’s new methanol derivatives facilities at Nanjing in China's Jiangsu province started commercial production in January and produces dimethyl formamide (DMF), dimethyl acetamide (DMAC) and feedstock dimethylamine, the spokeswoman said.

The units were expected to achieve 100% operation rates by September, the spokeswoman said without disclosing the current operating rate.

MGC has also been studying the possibility of building an 850,000 tonne/year methanol unit in Chongqing, China, the spokeswoman said, adding that the company had not cancelled its plans following the recent earthquake in neighboring Sichuan province.

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By: Tomomi Yokomura
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