Process design overview for upgrading a gas-to-methanol facility

J. Harker and A. Sanchez, INGEPROX Process Plant Services, Viña del Mar, Chile; and A. Gupta and A. English, IHI E&C International Corp., Houston, Texas With the surge in natural gas production in the US, gas-to-methanol plants are receiving renewed interest. Not only are new methanol plants being built, but existing plants are also being revamped to increase and optimize their production. Methanol is used as a feedstock to produce chemicals such as acetic acid and formaldehyde, which, in turn, are used in products like adhesives, foams, plywood and solvents.1 Methanol is also used in the production of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline component that improves air quality,