Natgasoline LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of OCI N.V., has selected Air Liquide as its supplier of oxygen for Natgasoline's new world-scale methanol plant in Beaumont, Texas. Air Liquide will invest around more than $120 million in this high growth area for the chemical industry.

Air Liquide has entered into a new long-term agreement to supply Natgasoline with 2,400 tonnes of oxygen per day. To meet the growing needs of OCI for the production of natural gas-based chemicals, Air Liquide will build a new energy-efficient air separation unit (ASU) producing oxygen, nitrogen and argon. Connected to Air Liquide’s extensive pipeline network along the Gulf Coast in Texas and Louisiana, the ASU is expected to be commissioned by the second half of 2016.

The new Natgasoline LLC methanol plant will produce approximately 5,000 tonnes of methanol per day, making it the largest methanol production facility in the United States based on capacity. Large quantities of pure oxygen are required for this method of large-scale methanol production.

Air Liquide, via its engineering and construction activity, also signed a contract with OCI for the supply of the Lurgi MegaMethanol process technology to OCI’s Natgasoline facility. The MegaMethanol technology converts natural gas to methanol and is part of Air Liquide’s proprietary Lurgi technology portfolio.