The market prospects for methanol production from gas!

Our factory needs to discuss pursuing this project! I hope everyone can give me some suggestions!

In terms of energy utilization, I think there are great prospects for development; currently, methanol is still in high demand in the market.

I’m still a bit worried! Once the ongoing projects begin operation, methanol production will rise sharply! Although many of the projects under construction take downstream facilities into account, some are only planned and not put into effect ； The technology behind these downstream products is not entirely mature, so operation is likely to be problematic – with the system starting and stopping frequently – and the desired performance levels cannot be achieved. Because there are basically no major issues with methanol used earlier on, especially when water-coal slurry gasification is employed, the problems are fewer! Of course, we still import methanol at the moment, but data shows that this figure is declining rapidly. Within two or three years, the domestic market should be sufficient for self-sufficiency. Methanol prices are expected to drop significantly. Some small factories or older factories with high costs will face significant pressure.

I don’t think it’s necessary to rely on coal-based methanol production; in fact, the coal chemical industry can produce many other products as well, such as dimethyl ether, among others. There is also coal-based olefin production. Many methanol production facilities are currently under construction, and they are all large-scale plants. Instead of competing with others for market share, it would be better to create new markets

Oil prices are rising, and methanol as a fuel deserves attention. It is also used in large quantities for producing chemical raw materials such as olefins from dimethyl ether. Methanol consumption ranks fourth, second only to ethylene, propylene, and benzene. So, I am optimistic about this project. A coking plant in Zibo initially only produced coke and chemical products, with mediocre profits. Later, methanol was used, and now the performance is very good.

1. Methanol is a fundamental raw material in the organic chemical industry, and its market is expected to experience significant growth in the coming years. However, due to the rapid expansion of production capacity within the country, intense competition is bound to arise. 2. In the future, competition in the methanol sector will focus on costs; the market size is not a major issue. Additionally, **energy substitution policies will drive rapid growth in methanol usage, but it is possible that there could be an oversupply. At that time, it will depend on which party has more competitive costs. 3. New methanol projects should have an appropriate economic scale; in my opinion, a capacity of 200,000–500,000 tons per year per unit is suitable. 4. Small enterprises might as well start by focusing on the downstream products of methanol; the 10 million tons of methanol that will be produced in the next five years still need to be absorbed through these downstream products. 5. Competent enterprises should adopt the integrated production approach to minimize investment risks. 6. For small and medium-sized nitrogen fertilizer enterprises, installing a methanol synthesis unit alongside their ammonia synthesis plants represents a good option; it enables energy savings while also helping to adjust the enterprise’s product portfolio. This post was last edited by zjyang168168 on 2007-11-29 17:20]

What was said upstairs is great; I’d like to add something. Methanol prices in the Middle East have also risen sharply recently. They use natural gas as a raw material, and our methanol costs are not competitive compared to theirs, whether it comes to natural gas or coal; therefore, it will be quite difficult to export methanol in the future ； Our methanol production is increasing rapidly, so it is crucial to accelerate downstream development and explore other outlets ； Most importantly, **once there is a change in policy, the market situation changes immediately; if methanol fuel and dimethyl ether fuel are used on a large scale, no matter how much methanol is available, it can all be absorbed! The production of methanol and dimethyl ether consumes a large amount of water resources, so it is also crucial to reduce water consumption; however, it is still better than burning them directly in terms of environmental impact! The coke oven gas methanol plant is quite good – it improves efficiency and is environmentally friendly – but its scale is limited by the amount of gas available; it would be better if the gas from various coking plants could be combined.