Metor Moves Forward with Construction of Methanol Plant Expansion at Jose Petrochemical Complex in Venezuela

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Venezuelan petrochemical company Metanol de Oriente S.A. (Metor), located in the eastern Venezuelan state of Anzoategui is advancing with the construction of a methanol plant at the Jose Antonio Anzoategui Petrochemical complex.

The complex's current capacity for methanol is 248 million gallons per year and the expansion involves the construction of a second plant with a production capacity of 281 million gallons per year, based on Mitsubishi Gas Chemical and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries technology. The new facility is being built adjacent to the current plant, with a total investment cost of around $450 million.

At the moment, construction work is being carried out by its selected engineering, procurement and construction firm Inelectra S.A.(Caracas), with project completion expected by October of 2009 and pre-commissioning scheduled for April of 2009.

Methanol is the basic raw material for the production of MTBE, acetic acid, formaldehyde and other products in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

Metanol de Oriente, Metor S.A., first began producing methanol at the Jose Antonio Anzoategui Petrochemical Complex in 1994. The state-owned oil firm PDVSA's petrochemical unit Pequiven owns a majority 37.5% stake in Metor, with other partners including Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Incorporated with 23.75% each, Empresas Polar with 10%, and the World Bank's International Finance Corporation with the remaining 5%.

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