On July 9, 2003 Methanol Holdings (Trinidad) Limited (MHTL) started the construction of their M5000 methanol plant. The plant was designed and built by the same team that successfully constructed MHTL’s last three methanol plants. The project’s Engineering Procurement and Construction Contractor was Ferrostaal Ag, the construction sub-contractor was Proman Ag. and the Plant Designer was Davy Process Technologies.

The M5000 methanol plant is rated to produce 5,000 metric tons of methanol per day and with a modification that allows it to utilize purge gas streams from MHTL’s existing methanol plants, it produces an additional 400 metric tons per day. This makes the M5000 plant, at a daily production of 5,400 metric tons, the largest methanol plant in the world at this time. M5000 went into production in September 2005.

The output from M5000 has almost doubled the 2.1 million metric tons produced annually by MHTL’s four existing methanol plants located in Point Lisas. M5000 is located in Point Lisas between MHTL’s existing CMC and TTMC I plants.

The plant is on schedule for start-up by the middle of 2005. Plant management and operation services is provided under contract by Industrial Plant Services Limited (IPSL).