Why is there a price difference between methanol produced from coal and that produced from gas?
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Although the methanol produced from natural gas and coal both meets national standards, many suppliers are now willing to purchase methanol made from natural gas, even if there is a price difference. Overall, gas-based options are superior in terms of price and sales performance compared to coal-based ones. Oil-based hairsprays are basically no longer produced these days. This post was last edited by kaisl1314 on 2008-6-11 08:51.]
Due to mental inertia, it has always been mainly methanol produced from gas; methanol produced from coal is still considered new in this field
The use of coal to produce methanol is mainly determined by China’s energy situation. Since coal needs to be converted into gas, and the investment in the gasification processes in coal chemical industries accounts for 60–70% of the total project cost, coal is inexpensive. **A policy restricting the use of natural gas has just been introduced, and the production of methanol from domestic gas will gradually decrease
As a further addition, using coke oven gas to produce methanol is also relatively inexpensive
Below is a preliminary comparison of the costs associated with producing methanol using various raw materials in China. It’s easy to see at a glance: the consumption and cost of producing methanol from natural gas.
**Items, Consumption, Unit Price (yuan), Unit Cost (yuan/ton)**
Natural gas: 1050 m3, 1.0 (assumed), 1050
Electricity: 80 kW·h, 0.4, 32
Steam: self-supplied
Desalinated water: 5.0 t, 3.5, 17.5
Cooling water: 200 t, 0.2, 40
Catalysts and chemicals: 15.0
Labor: 45
Depreciation and administrative costs: 212.6
**Total: 1412.1**
**Consumption and cost of producing methanol from coal**
**Items, Consumption, Unit Price (yuan), Unit Cost (yuan/ton)**
Raw coal: 1.38 t, 300, 414
Cooling water: 337.6 t, 0.2, 67.5
Electricity: 256.6 kW·h, 0.4, 102.6
Steam: 0.931, 50, 46.6
Catalysts and chemicals: 46.4
Labor: 230
Depreciation and administrative costs: 240.2
**Total: 1147.3**
**Consumption and cost of producing methanol from residue oil**
**Items, Consumption, Unit Price (yuan), Unit Cost (yuan/ton)**
Vacuum residue oil: 0.8, 1700, 1360
Fresh water: 36.4, 1.5, 54.6
Desalinated water: 0.48, 2, 0.96
Electricity: 300, 0.4, 120
Catalysts and chemicals: 16.6
Labor: 27
Depreciation and administrative costs: 208
**Total: 1787.16**
**Consumption and cost of producing methanol using coke oven gas as a raw material**
**Items, Consumption, Unit Price (yuan), Unit Cost (yuan/ton)**
Coke oven gas: 2150 m3, 0.160, 344
Cooling water: 298.8 t, 0.2, 59.76
Electricity: 941.6 kW·h, 0.4, 376.6
Steam: 0.106 t, 60, 6.36
Fusel oil: -6.8 kg, 1, -6.8
Catalysts and chemicals: 46.4
Labor: 30
Depreciation and administrative costs: 179.9
**Total: 1036.22**
**Items, Consumption, Unit Price (yuan), Unit Cost (yuan/ton)**
Natural gas: 1050 m3, 1.0 (assumed), 1050
Electricity: 80 kW·h, 0.4, 32
Steam: self-supplied
Desalinated water: 5.0 t, 3.5, 17.5
Cooling water: 200 t, 0.2, 40
Catalysts and chemicals: 15.0
Labor: 45
Depreciation and administrative costs: 212.6
**Total: 1412.1**
**Consumption and cost of producing methanol from coal**
**Items, Consumption, Unit Price (yuan), Unit Cost (yuan/ton)**
Raw coal: 1.38 t, 300, 414
Cooling water: 337.6 t, 0.2, 67.5
Electricity: 256.6 kW·h, 0.4, 102.6
Steam: 0.931, 50, 46.6
Catalysts and chemicals: 46.4
Labor: 230
Depreciation and administrative costs: 240.2
**Total: 1147.3**
**Consumption and cost of producing methanol from residue oil**
**Items, Consumption, Unit Price (yuan), Unit Cost (yuan/ton)**
Vacuum residue oil: 0.8, 1700, 1360
Fresh water: 36.4, 1.5, 54.6
Desalinated water: 0.48, 2, 0.96
Electricity: 300, 0.4, 120
Catalysts and chemicals: 16.6
Labor: 27
Depreciation and administrative costs: 208
**Total: 1787.16**
**Consumption and cost of producing methanol using coke oven gas as a raw material**
**Items, Consumption, Unit Price (yuan), Unit Cost (yuan/ton)**
Coke oven gas: 2150 m3, 0.160, 344
Cooling water: 298.8 t, 0.2, 59.76
Electricity: 941.6 kW·h, 0.4, 376.6
Steam: 0.106 t, 60, 6.36
Fusel oil: -6.8 kg, 1, -6.8
Catalysts and chemicals: 46.4
Labor: 30
Depreciation and administrative costs: 179.9
**Total: 1036.22**
Coal-based methanol has a higher impurity content than gas-based methanol.
The quality of methanol produced from gas-based feedstocks generally can reach the A** standard, while it is difficult to achieve such a standard with coal-based feedstocks. Pharmaceutical-grade methanol and other high-purity products require a high level of purity in the raw methanol used. At present, most large-scale methanol production facilities in China, as well as those that import raw materials, use gas-based feedstocks; there are few facilities that use coal-based feedstocks