Methanex on Tuesday announced it started up a second methanol facility that was transported from Chile to Geismar, Louisiana, three months ahead of schedule. The company said it produced first methanol at the one-million-metric-ton Geismar 2 plant Dec. 27. Methanex CEO John Floren said full ramp-up would occur “over the coming weeks.”
Methanex started up the first of the two plants in January. Floren said it cost approximately $1.4 billion to complete the plants.
The U.S. shale gas boom has triggered billions in investments in methanol projects in the Gulf Coast region. Celanese and Mitsui started up a new methanol plant in Clear Lake, Texas, in October and Chinese firm Yuhuang Chemical is building a $1.85 billion plant in Louisiana’s St. James Parish. Houston firms G2X Energy and Syngas Energy recently announced plans to build new plants in Louisiana.
Methanex Geismar Plant Manager Glynn Fontenot spoke to BIC Magazine in June 2013 about the process of relocating the first plant from Chile and its potential economic impact in Louisiana.
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