METHANOL FOR TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS VALUES.

A new process under development at the Brookhaven National Laboratory departs significantly from current commercial practice for synthesizing methanol from natural gas. The significant innovations in this process are described and the consequences of the changes are outlined. A process flow sheet for the new synthesis is described and a cost estimate, based on the equipment and flow sheet, is presented and compared with cost estimates for conventional, low pressure methanol synthesis. In addition, cost estimates for shipping natural gas values to distant markets as synthesized methanol, or as liquefied natural gas, are compared. The economic advantages of the Brookhaven methanol process indicate that methanol shipping can deliver natural gas values at lower cost than can LNG for the same energy delivery, while decreasing capital investment requirements significantly.