Cradle to Gate
Identity ID
d456699d6db94b8a8bfb5af0fdb40928
Materials
Associated ID
904a43ab-6739-4e3c-959d-c66d1fa3cb63
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
Methanol can be used for synthetic gas production, is an important chemical raw material, and also serves as a fuel; this dataset includes primary raw and auxiliary materials, energy consumption in the production process, while infrastructure such as production equipment and factory construction is excluded from the system boundary; the life cycle inventory data are sourced from literature; the methanol production process includes steps such as natural gas extraction, natural gas processing, desulfurization, steam reforming, synthetic gas purification, catalytic synthesis, and distillation.
Activity Description
The production activities of this product include processes such as natural gas extraction, natural gas processing, desulfurization, steam reforming, syngas purification, catalytic synthesis, and distillation.
Process Description
Methanol is an organic compound with the molecular formula CH4O. It is a liquid under normal temperature and pressure conditions, appearing as a colorless, transparent, flammable, volatile, toxic liquid with a pungent odor and a slight alcoholic scent. Methanol is soluble in water and highly miscible in gasoline, and its vapor can form explosive mixtures with air. Methanol is produced from natural gas via steam reforming to generate synthesis gas, which is then purified and reacted under specific temperature, pressure, and catalytic conditions. This product is one of the key chemicals produced from synthesis gas, serving as both an important chemical feedstock and a fuel.
Time period
2017
2026
Geography
China
Macroeconomic value
Business-as-Usual
Data validation
Yes
Technology
Current Technology
Technology comment
The methanol production technology pathway via natural gas route includes two main stages: the extraction and processing of natural gas, and the entire methanol production process (including synthetic gas production via steam reforming). Natural gas, after desulfurization to remove acidic gases such as SO2 and H2S and dehydration, is converted into synthetic gas through a steam reforming process, where the H/C ratio is adjusted to approximately 3.0. Subsequently, the synthetic gas is compressed and fed into a synthesis reactor to produce methanol.