Syngas

Expand Your Reach in the Global Methanol and Acetyls Markets

The global methanol and acetyls industries are evolving at a vigorous pace. Methanol market dynamics are quickly changing with capacity expansions, disparate production economics worldwide, increasing challenges to long-term demand growth, and a shifting focus to methanol’s role in the path toward energy transition. Meanwhile, the acetyls industry continues to thrive on the back of economic recovery but with equally challenging conditions stemming from volatility in pricing and supply.

Syngas Strategic Insights

Iranian Sanctions

Iranian sanctions and the potential impact on project progress, production output, trade flows, and prices. If the sanctions continue, Iran will remain restricted to selling in to China and India and prices in these countries may be lower than in other regions.

Russia/Ukraine conflict

Sanctions and the potential impact on project progress, production output, trade flows, and prices Russia has become restricted to exporting to India or to local eastern and central European markets with little to no logistics alternative – at a price

China’s Zero-COVID Policy

If this policy is maintained, we are likely to see further lockdowns, reducing demand. However, the level of restriction is likely to ease over time; in addition, action is being taken to stimulate sectors such as the property market.

China’s Environmental Pollution
Controls

How consistently will these be applied –all over the country or just in the north? Will China relax these in an effort to stimulate its chemical industry, if the US-China trade war continues and particularly if China’s GDP growth falls below desired levels?
Implication: This could have a major impact on the operating rates of derivative units

Sustainable Methanol Production

We are likely to see more low-carbon projects announced, especially in Europe. Also, existing units could be reconfigured, perhaps with an associated carbon capture and storage scheme, in order to minimize their carbon footprint.

Methanol Demand

Methanol demand in important fuels sectors changing with global environmental initiatives Large demand for biodiesel and MTBE is increasingly threatened by growing capacity for non-methanol-based renewable diesel, restrictions of feedstock for FAME biodiesel, and the shift towards electric vehicles.

Talk to an expert

Near-Term Solutions

Monthly reports delivering critical market insight and price forecasts for global acetic acid, vinyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and acetic anhydride markets.
Weekly and monthly reports delivering critical market insight and price forecasts for the global methanol market

Talk to an expert

Long-Term Solutions

  • Long-term supply-demand database updated bi-annually
  • Real-time global capacity database
  • Detailed country-level trade grids updated bi-annually
  • 10-year forecasts for the price, cost and margin updated quarterly
  • Upside and downside sensitivities
  • Strategic market assessments

  • Long-term supply-demand database updated bi-annually
  • Real-time global capacity database
  • Detailed country-level trade grids updated bi-annually
  • 10-year forecasts for the price, cost and margin updated quarterly
  • Upside and downside sensitivities
  • Strategic market assessments

  • Long-term supply-demand database updated bi-annually
  • Real-time global capacity database
  • Detailed country-level trade grids updated bi-annually
  • 10-year forecasts for the price, cost and margin updated quarterly
  • Upside and downside sensitivities
  • Strategic market assessments

 

Syngas Chemicals Global Team

Mike Nash

Mike Nash Vice President, Global Syngas Team Lead | Americas Acetyls Lead Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Mr. Mike Nash is the Vice President for Syngas Chemicals (including the methanol and acetyls practices) at Chemical Market Analytics.

He works with a global team of regional consultants and overlays their analyses with a global perspective. His responsibilities include the weekly World Methanol Report and monthly World Methanol Analysis, including the weekly and monthly Global Acetyls Market Reports and the related World Analyses for Methanol, Acetyls, and Formaldehyde.

Before joining the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics) in September 2012, Mr. Nash worked for BP’s petrochemicals division for 19 years preceding a two-year stint in Total’s UK fuels business. He performed various commercial roles within BP, in international business management, marketing, project management, and logistics, based in London, Duesseldorf, and Kuala Lumpur. His last role in the Total UK was the Logistics Director for Specialties.

Mr. Nash holds a Master of Arts in English Language and Literature from Edinburgh University, UK, and a Master of Business Administration from Kingston University, UK.

Javier Ortiz

Javier Ortiz Director, North & South America Methanol Lead Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Javier Ortiz is the Director for the North and South American Methanol market at Chemical Market Analytics.

As of 2019, Mr. Ortiz leads methanol market coverage in the Americas. He began his consulting career at CMAI (Chemical Market Associates, Inc.) in 2007 as a research analyst for the North and South American synthetic fibers markets with a primary focus on the polyester and nylon supply chains. He was subsequently appointed global leader of CMAI’s senior research analyst group while taking over consulting coverage of the nylon raw materials markets in the Americas.

Before joining the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics) Methanol team, Mr. Ortiz formed part of its Plastics group for nearly a decade, where he led coverage of the polyolefins markets in Latin American, directed the QuiMax Latin American consulting service, and was also responsible for polystyrene market research in the Americas.

He holds degrees in Industrial Engineering and a minor in Business Administration from Texas A&M University, US.

Shreya Kansara

Shreya Kansara Principal Analyst Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Shreya Kansara is a Senior Research Analyst with the Syngas team at Chemical Market Analytics.

Ms. Kansara is responsible for maintaining and updating the global data files including the econometric models. She also provides support to the team for various analyses, client queries, presentations, publication of the Weekly and Monthly reports, and the World Analysis. Before taking on her current role in 2018, she worked as a business analyst for the President of a prominent Chemicals company in India. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Mumbai, India.

Leshan Hou

Leshan Hou Director, Asia Acetyls Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Leshan Hou’s current role at Chemical Market Analytics is Director for Acetyls in Asia, based in Beijing.

Mr. Hou works closely with the methanol sector and brings his insight and experience to the Asia Acetyls market. Current responsibilities include the weekly and monthly Global Acetyls Market Report and primary input and support for the World Acetyls Analysis.

Before joining the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics) in June 2012, Mr. Hou had a ten-year career with China National Chemical Information Center (CNCIC). At CNCIC, He served as a senior consultant manager, leading, organizing, and completing over a hundred China chemical consulting projects, mainly related to coal chemicals, specialty chemicals, and petrochemicals.

At Chemical Market Analytics, his responsibilities include input to the Market Advisory Services for Acetyls, as well as heading up the Asian analysis for acetyls markets in support of the long-term planning outlooks in the World Analysis. Mr. Hou received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Qingdao University of Science and Technology in 1998, and his master’s degree in chemistry from Beijing Technology and Business University in 2002.

Xiaomeng Ma

Xiaomeng Ma Director, Asia Methanol Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Xiaomeng Ma is the Director of Asia Methanol at Chemical Market Analytics

Xiaomeng is an experienced researcher with a strong track-record working experience in the industrial sectors spanning from petrochemical markets, and specialty chemical industries to energy and fuel industries. Xiaomeng Ma’s current focuses are on methanol-related industries.

She is skilled in project assessment, building and implementing business strategies, and creating economic models. She has a strong professional background with a Masters in Engineering and a realistic understanding of the opportunities and challenges in the Asia chemical industry.

Geoffrey Mullett

Geoffrey Mullett Director, EMEA & India Methanol Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Geoffrey Mullett is the Director of the Syngas practice at Chemical Market Analytics.

Geoffrey is responsible for methanol in EMEA and India. Prior to joining the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics) in 2021, Mr. Mullett worked for BP for 20 years in a variety of engineering and commercial roles, including five years as a methanol trader for BP Singapore.

Julian Skibitzki

Julian Skibitzki Director, EMEA & India Acetyls Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Julian Skibitzki is the Director for acetyls at Chemical Market Analytics.

His current focus is on the acetyls industry in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian Subcontinent. He is based in Hamburg. His current responsibilities include the weekly and monthly Global Acetyls Market Report and primary input and support for the World Acetyls Analysis.

Before joining the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics) in July 2017, Mr. Skibitzki had a six-year career with Helm AG, in Hamburg. At Helm, he served as a product manager, with global responsibility for acetic acid. He is an Economist in wholesale and foreign trade and has a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA).