20 | Methanex T T Virginia Wright Working towards lower emissions Methanex is looking at how it can produce bio-methanol to complement its use of conventional methanol. “Natural gas is an important part of New Zealand’s ability to provide electricity around the country so we can help to keep the country’s lights on even when the wind doesn’t blow, the sun doesn’t shine and the rain doesn’t fall.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Global company Methanex is the world’s largest producer and supplier of methanol, and New Zealand’s only methanol producer. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, it has three plants in Taranaki, two at Motunui and one at Waitara Valley. The New Zealand production site primarily supplies methanol to customers in the Asia Pacific region, but also to domestic customers in Taranaki, Tauranga and the South Island. Methanol is a liquid chemical used in all sorts of everyday products including plastics, paints, cosmetics and fuels; clothes, solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles. When used as a cleaner-burning alternative fuel, methanol can help society achieve its decarbonisation goals, especially when it’s produced using renewable resources. Methanol is already being used as a lower-emissions fuel alternative in the shipping industry. As well as producing and supplying methanol globally, Methanex has a subsidiary company, Waterfront Shipping Limited, which specialises in safely transporting methanol (and other clean petroleum products) around the world. Waterfront Shipping operates a fleet of around 33 vessels, 19 of which have the capability to run on either diesel or methanol. In other words, they can be powered either by conventional marine fuels or by the lower-emission methanol. In pursuit of further decarbonisation of the shipping industry, Methanex is looking at how it can produce bio-methanol to complement its use of conventional methanol. “As an example, in 2023 a vessel called the Cajun Sun completed the first-ever net-zero voyage over 18 days crossing the Atlantic, fuelled by a blend of conventional and bio-methanol. It was a landmark voyage proving that net zero emissions in the shipping industry is possible,” explains New Zealand CEO Stuart McCall. Because they are a key user of New Zealand’s natural gas, and because they can be flexible in their operations, Methanex can act as a safety buffer for the highly renewable electricity sector, supplying gas to keep power stations running if needed, Stuart explains. “Natural gas is an important part of New Zealand’s ability to provide electricity around the country so we can help to keep the country’s lights on even when the wind doesn’t blow, the sun doesn’t shine and the rain doesn’t fall.” Methanex employs over 1000 people worldwide, 160 of them in Taranaki. They work hard to have a positive impact on the communities near their operation, valuing local relationships based on open, two-way communication, and supporting local needs. As well as development and career opportunities, they have a wellbeing strategy, which draws on the Māori health model, Te Whare Tapa Whā, to offer a holistic approach to support employees and their families. “We want our people to feel proud to work at Methanex, so we invest heavily in our community and partner with organisations that mean the most to our employees, like the Methanex Neonatal Unit which is currently under construction at Taranaki Base Hospital,” says Stuart. Methanex recently completed one of New Zealand’s most significant carbon-saving projects to date when it completely retrofitted its distillation towers with the goal of delivering annual savings of up to 50,000 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of taking 20,000 cars off the road. On a more global level Methanex continues to acquire world-scale methanol plants in their search to increase its low-carbon methanol production around the world. Whether in New Zealand or elsewhere in the world, Methanex are committed to playing an active role in the world’s transition to a low-carbon economy through their existing production assets and ongoing collaboration with government and industry. Their objective is to be part of a solution that meets the growing demand for their product in ways that support the environmental commitments of their company, the industry as a whole, and its customers. Utrex is a proudly 100% privately owned and operated New Zealand company, with over 60 years of experience in the country's industrial chemical cleaning market. • Industrial Chemical Cleaning • Well acidizing • Equipment rental • Shutdown & TAR Management • HSNO compliance Contact us +64 021 920 838 +64 07 928 0052 admin@utrexltd.com www.utrexltd.com
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