Mitsubishi to set up methanol and dimethyl ether plant in Trinidad and Tobago

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc (MGC), Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) have signed an agreement with state-owned National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (NGC) and Massy Holdings Ltd (Massy) for the construction of a methanol and dimethyl ether plant in Trinidad and Tobago, and have concluded contracts for engineering, procurement & construction (EPC), gas supply, and relevant land leases.
 
The plant, which entails about $1 billion of investment, will have capacity to manufacture 1 million tonnes per annum (tpa) of methanol and 20 thousand tpa of dimethyl ether. Discussions are currently underway with a syndicate of Japanese banks for finalising the loan agreement.
 
Methanol is made mainly from natural gas and is used in a wide range of products, including adhesive agents, agricultural chemicals, paints, synthetic resins, and synthetic raw materials. Dimethyl ether can be used as a substitute for LPG or as a substitute for diesel in automobiles and in power generation, and has therefore been receiving a lot of attention as a source of next-generation clean energy.
 
Methanol produced under the project will be marketed worldwide by MGC, MC and Massy. The partners will also work closely with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to promote the use of dimethyl ether as a substitute for diesel in Trinidad and Tobago and in other Caribbean countries. Plant design and construction will be undertaken by MHI under an EPC contract with the parties.