Jacobs wins Methanex contract to relocate methanol plant to US

07 February 2012 14:26  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS)--US-based Jacobs has won a contract with Canada’s Methanex to relocate one of its idled methanol plants from Chile to Louisiana in the US, the petrochemicals engineering firm said on Tuesday.

Methanol producer Methanex said in January that it was operating only one of its four plants in Chile, and that it had also had considerable problems maintaining a supply of natural gas for operations. It estimated that relocating a plant to the US could cost $400m (€304m).

Jacobs said it is currently executing site-specific engineering for a 225-acre site in Louisiana, and the plant could be operational in the second half of 2014.

"We are very pleased Methanex selected Jacobs to be a part of this project. The US Gulf Coast is a prime location for a methanol facility, especially since demand for methanol is expected to grow in the coming years," said Jacobs group vice-president Mike Autrey.

Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

($1 = €0.76)

By: Leigh Stringer
+44 208 652 3214

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