Venezuelan state-owned Pequiven and Italy’s Eni have resumed methanol production at the 800,000 tons/year Supermetanol plant in the Jose industrial complex of eastern Venezuela, industry sources said. The plant has been idle since last year’s second quarter and was gradually taken back online earlier this month after repairs to a steam valve and a leaky natural gas line.
The Supermetanol plant is one of two methanol production sites at the Jose industrial complex which use natural gas feedstock provided by PdV Gas, a PdVSA’s subsidiary. Pequiven and Eni own a 50% stake each in the plant which was established in the early 1990s.
Pequiven also holds a 37.5% stake in the 1.6 million tons/year Metor methanol plant at Jose. Other interest holders are Mitsubishi and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical with 23.75% stakes each. Metor is operated by Mitsubishi and recently resumed operations at its two plants after being halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
