Celanese, Mitsui mull extra Texas methanol plant

Celanese and Japan-based Mitsui & Co. have entered into an exclusive arrangement to explore a joint venture for methanol production at Celanese’s integrated chemical plant in Bishop, Texas.

The potential methanol unit at Bishop is expected to have an annual capacity of 1.3 million tons and would leverage the design benefits of the Clear Lake, Texas methanol unit that is currently under construction. 

Celanese has filed for air permits with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for a potential methanol unit in Bishop, Texas, and a final decision to build the unit will consider several factors, including prevailing methanol market conditions as well as construction costs.

The companies also entered into an amended five year arrangement for Celanese to purchase methanol from Mitsui, upon completion of the methanol unit at their joint venture in Clear Lake, Texas. 

Start-up of that unit is expected in October 2015.

“We are pleased to expand our partnership with Mitsui. Together with Mitsui, we will explore the benefits of an additional methanol unit at our Bishop, Texas facility to ensure our long-term and competitive supply of methanol,” said Mark Rohr, CEO of Celanese. 

“The supply agreement, along with our own methanol production at Clear Lake, Texas, will ensure that we are balanced in our methanol needs in the US, but it will not completely offset our methanol-related earnings headwinds."