Millennium Chemicals produces methanol at a La Porte, Texas plant, owned jointly with Linde Gas Incorporated.
Benefits and Applications
Millennium uses most of the methanol to produce acetic acid. The remainder is sold in barges to customers in the United States.
One of the major end uses of methanol is for the production of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) a motor gasoline oxygenate for octane enhancement. Methanol is also used as a raw material for producing formaldehyde, which is used extensively in the construction industry to manufacture strand board and fiberboard. Other uses for methanol include production of important intermediate chemicals, such as acetic acid, chloromethanes, methyl methacrylate, methylamines, and dimethyl terephthalate.
Manufacturing Facilities
Methanol, acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer products are produced in an integrated chain of manufacturing plants. This integration provides a major logistical advantage at the La Porte, Texas site.
The manufacturing process at the La Porte site starts with natural gas (methane) and pure oxygen. These chemical compounds react continuously in partial oxidation units to produce synthesis gas, a mixture of predominantly carbon monoxide and hydrogen. A portion of the synthesis gas is separated into purity carbon monoxide and a hydrogen-rich stream. This hydrogen and the remaining synthesis gas are fed as raw materials to the methanol unit. The purity carbon monoxide and purified methanol are used to make acetic acid. Finally, acetic acid, along with purchased ethylene and oxygen, is used to produce vinyl acetate monomer.
The carbon monoxide, hydrogen and synthesis gas are supplied on-site by Linde Gas Incorporated. Millennium Chemicals Inc. and Linde Gas Incorporated are partners in the ownership of the methanol unit.