[sidebar id =1]New methanol and ammonia-based fertilizer plants are expected to boost the demand for natural gas by four percent in 2015, according to a report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). These facilities are among the most natural gas-intensive end users, says the EIA. Low gas prices and proximity to shale development have spurred the proposed expansion.
Several methanol and fertilizer plants are planned to begin operation in Texas and Louisiana later this year. Outside of the Gulf Coast, future plants are proposed for Iowa, North Dakota and the Pacific Northwest. Northwest Innovation Works, a Chinese company, is planning two methanol plants in Washington and Oregon with the expectation of exporting product produced there to Asian markets.