The three largest derivatives of methanol are formaldehyde, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and acetic acid. However, methanol is seeing growing demand in fuel applications such as dimethyl ether (DME), biodiesel and the direct blending into gasoline.
Methanol markets have been reasonably balanced for the last few years but in 2008 they moved into oversupply with demand deteriorating due to the faltering economic growth. In particular, demand for formaldehyde, methanol's largest derivative, has been impacted by the downturn in the automotive and construction industries.
The strongest growth in methanol demand will be in Asia with the majority of the increase in China. New fuel uses for methanol such as gasoline blending, DME and biodiesel will help support this growth.
Nearly all methanol production is based on low pressure processes consuming natural gas, naphtha or refinery light gas. Synthesis gas from a reformer is fed to the methanol converter where the methanol synthesis takes place in the presence of copper-based catalysts. Plant designers are developing very large capacity plants in the 5000-10,000 tonne/day range.
Methanol is a colourless, volatile and flammable liquid with a characteristic odour. It is a fire and explosion hazard when exposed to heat, flame or oxidisers.
Methanol
Price Reports
ICIS pricing gives you access on a weekly or real time basis to the latest price movements and critical market commentary on the Methanol market. Click below to see a quarterly market overview.
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Methanol
Uses and Outlook
The three largest derivatives of methanol are formaldehyde, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and acetic acid. However, methanol is seeing growing demand in fuel applications such dimethyl ether (DME), biodiesel and the direct blending into gasoline.
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Methanol
Process Technologies
From the early 1800s until the mid-1920s, the distillation of wood to make 'wood alcohol' was the major source of methanol. According to some statistics, methanol production reached 30,000 tonnes in 1923, consuming some 3m tonnes of wood feedstock. However, this inefficient method of methanol production was quickly replaced by large scale processes based on hydrogen-carbon oxide mixtures introduced in the 1920s.
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