Teaching an old plant new tricks: The rise of the methanol plant revamp

摘要

The last time we saw such marked activity in the methanol industry was back in the 1990s and early 2000s, when methanol production in North America (NA) plummeted by almost two-thirds. High gas prices forced the mothballing of plants, with many never restarting. The shale gas bonanza has shaken the industry awake, and there is a rush to market. Restarts and relocations are hoping to beat newbuilds to the finish line. The ripple effect of this newfound competition is ruffling feathers around the world, with a push for efficiency now at the top of the to-do list. One of the world's largest and most diverse providers of technical professional and construction services is now helping clients to not only build new plants, but also to teach their old plants new tricks and coax some out of retirement, all of which present significant and complex challenges.