09 九月 - 11 九月 2024
In-person: Houston, Texas, US

Argus Methanol Forum

Welcome day and reception

Start End
  • 16:00
  • -
  • 17:00
  • Registration opens
  • 17:00
  • -
  • 19:00
  • Welcome reception

Conference day 1

Start End
  • 08:00
  • -
  • 09:00
  • Breakfast and registration
  • 09:00
  • -
  • 09:15
  • Chairperson’s introduction and opening remarks Dave McCaskill - VP Methanol & Derivatives Services, Argus 
  • 9:15
  • -
  • 9:40
  • 09:40
  • -
  • 10:00
  • How is global clean fuel policy shifting and what opportunities does that provides for the methanol industry worldwide? Tammy Klein - Founder & Chief Executive, Transport Energy Strategies

• What other regions are following the U.S’ lead after the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act?
• What is the status of low carbon fuels policies globally and how will they serve to help further scale up methanol? 
• What exiting and future policies will serve to create new markets for methanol? 

  • 10:00
  • -
  • 10:25
  • What are the impacts of shifting global market fundamentals on pricing expectations and volatility in the gas and oil context? - ADM Investor Services

• What are the short-term and long-term crude and natural gas market prospects? What does this mean for price?
• What is the likely trajectory for China’s recovery in 2024 and implications for key commodities? How feasible is the development of regional self-sufficiency in strategic commodities?  
• Towards energy transition - How is energy price inflation changing perceptions of the optimal future fuel mix? What does it mean for the emerging markets that drive energy & commodity demand growth?
• Does the impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis hinder or invigorate Europe’s energy transition? 

Speakers:
Mark Ostwald, Chief Economist and Global Strategist, ADM Investor Services

  • 10:25
  • -
  • 11:05
  • Coffee Break
  • 11:05
  • -
  • 11:45
  • The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): what change will it bring to the US’s energy mix? - U.S. Department of Energy & Bracewell LLC
• What incentives does the IRA provide for the methanol industry and how can businesses access them?
• Whilst the IRA supports transportation for road and air fuels, are there any plans for it to support methanol into marine fuels?
• What fuels are eligible to compete for the credits? Will e-methanol production become more attractive than bio-methanol production in the US due to specific IRA requirements? 
• Beyond the IRA – what are the different policy measure in the US that are supporting the development of hydrogen and therefore Methanol production?


Confirmed speakers: 
Senior Representative from the United States Department of Energy 
Timothy Urban, Senior Principal, Bracewell LLC  
  • 11:35
  • -
  • 12:15
  • Global methanol outlook: what will the methanol market look like in the next 5 years? Dave McCaskill - VP Methanol & Derivatives Services, Argus

Where can we expect industry pricing to head over the next few years? 
What are the drivers of the market, on both the global and domestic front?
Supply and demand - what is the overall capacity versus demand growth? 

  • 12:15
  • -
  • 13:30
  • Networking lunch
  • 13:30
  • -
  • 14:10
  • Will green methanol provide future opportunities for MTO projects and what are the growth prospects? Becky Zhang - Methanol & Olefins Editor, Argus

• How competitive is the process vs Naphtha based economics? 
• How will the availability of light cracker feedstocks impact future MTO projects?
• Will existing MTO plants be competitive versus imports from North America and Middle East?
• As methanol production in China increases, what impact will this have on southeast Asia? Will Middle East exports to the region increase? And will Chinese exports begin trickling down south? 
• How will China navigate decarbonisation amid a slowing economy and volatile markets? To what extent are methanol-fueled transportation fleets expected to grow in China?

 

Speakers: 
Becky Zhang, Methanol & Olefins Editor, Argus

 
  • 14:10
  • -
  • 14:35
  • What does the rise of renewable diesel on biodiesel mean for the demand for methanol? - Clean Fuels Alliance America

• What are the feedstock economics for both renewable diesel and biodiesel? What is the supply and demand outlook over the next few years?
• What countries around the world are increasing the use of renewable diesel and the use of biodiesel? 
• How would renewable diesel affect D4 RIN compliance in the US?

 

Speakers:
Scott Fenwick, Technical Director, Clean Fuels Alliance America

 

  • 14:35
  • -
  • 14:50
  • How can DME help renewable methanol create new opportunities in the propane and hydrogen markets? Jeffrey Wright - Director of Supply Development, Oberon Fuels

• How can we integrate DME into the LPG supply chain and create more opportunities for the methanol industry?
• What do these pathways to de-fossilisation mean for the LPG industry? 
• With primary applications being propane supplement in cooking gas, aerosol and chemical feedstock, how will DME expand in the sectors of transportation fuel and electric power generation?

  • 14:50
  • -
  • 15:10
  • Which countries will lead MTBE growth in the long term and where are declines expected? Roel Salazar - Methanol Derivatives Consultant, Argus

• Will Bio-MTBE see demand growth in the future and what countries have plans to include it in their gasoline pool?
• Is direct methanol blending into gasoline a promising new demand sector in the Asia-Pacific region? 
• With EV’s taking more market share from traditional vehicles what is going to be the demand for gasoline in the next few years and how will this affect MTBE production?


Speakers:
Roel Salazar,
Methanol Derivatives Consultant, Argus

  • 15:10
  • -
  • 15:55
  • Afternoon Coffee Break
  • 15:55
  • -
  • 16:35
  • Blue methanol: filling the gap between now and the future? - Air Liquide, bp, IGP Methanol, XTS Energy
• What is the pricing and availability of blue methanol? 
• What are the future applications of blue methanol? Who are the offtakers and how will it transcend the market? Will it replace conventional methanol in key derivatives to get a cleaner methanol? 
• What are the major economic drivers and considerations for blue methanol technologies? 

Speakers:
Matthias Stein,
Director Chemicals Market, Air Liquide
Lindsey Eby
, Director, Structured Solutions & Strategic Origination, bp
James Lamoureaux
, Founder, IGP Methanol 
Moderator: Robert Kelly
Managing Director, XTS Energy LLC

  • 16:35
  • -
  • 17:15
  • Enabling methanol-to-jet (MTJ): What are the advantages of Methanol-to-Jet vs conventional technologies? - Enerkem, ExxonMobil, Lummus Technology, CAAFI
What is the state of the MTJ market and how is it evolving? What are the methanol pathways to SAF? How can we overcome challenges associated with it? 
When is MTJ technology like to become commercially available, and what is needed to achieve this? 
How does methanol to jet compare to ethanol to jet? What will be the preferred feedstock in the next few years? 

Confirmed speakers:
Kyle Findley, Director of Business Strategy, Lummus Technology
Mike Calizzi, Global Sales Excellence Manager, ExxonMobil
Steve Csonka, Executive Director, CAAFI
Moderator: Denis Arguin, VP Project Development, Enerkem   

 
  • 17:10
  • -
  • 17:15
  • Chairperson's closing remarks
  • 17:15
  • -
  • 18:15
  • Cocktail hour

Conference day 2

Start End
  • 08:00
  • -
  • 09:00
  • Registration and breakfast
  • 09:00
  • -
  • 09:05
  • Chairperson’s opening remarks Dave McCaskill - VP Methanol & Derivative Services
  • 09:05
  • -
  • 9:50
  • Facilitating the transition to bio-methanol: how to get there? - Repsol, SunGas Renewables, DNV, Enerkem

• What can existing brown and grey methanol plants do in order to green up their processes?
• How is the bio-methanol value chain developing? What is the pricing of bio-methanol vs its cost of production in comparison to grey methanol?
• Renewable natural gas and biomass as a biobased feedstock for methanol production – What is the outlook on availability of RNG and biomass? What is the competition landscape for RNG and biomass with other sectors? 
• How can we scale up bio-methanol? What technologies are available and will bio-methanol be used in the chemical industry?
• On the capital side, what are the elements that investors need to see to make a successful decision to invest in a facility? How are investors supporting the development of these projects?

Speakers:
Oscar Sastron
, Renewable Fuels Commercial Strategy Senior Manager, Repsol
Jose Quevedo
, Principal Consultant, Hydrogen & Low Carbon Fuels, DNV
Denis Arguin
, VP Strategic Relations, Enerkem
Cliff Keeler, VP Business Development, SunGas Renewables



  • 9:50
  • -
  • 10:35
  • A forecast of e-methanol production and cost competitiveness: how can it scale up and become economically viable? - CRI, Orsted, HIF Global, NEL Hydrogen, Topsoe, Methanol Institute

• Where is renewable power mostly available? Where are the most lucrative areas for renewable power projects to succeed? 
• What's the appetite in terms of projects getting financed?
• How can we secure investment through the value chain, including technology development, infrastructure, and deployment?
• What is the current pipeline and CAPEX for electrolysers?

Speakers:
Steve Szymanski, Vice President of Sales, Americas, NEL Hydrogen
Kristjana Kristjánsdóttir
, Chief Commercial Officer, CRI
Michael Macdonald, Chief Manufacturing Officer, HIF Global
Andre Gafford, Lead Sourcing Manager P2X America, Orsted
Ameet Kakoti
, Proposal Manager Ammonia & Methanol, Topsoe
Moderator: Larry Navin
, Senior Director for Government & Public Affairs, Methanol Institute

  • 10:35
  • -
  • 11:20
  • Coffee Break
  • 11:20
  • -
  • 11:55
  • How does methanol help drive the hydrogen economy and vice versa? - Carbon Neutral Consulting, e1 Marine, Methanol Institute, Air Liquide

• What are the challenges associated with the production, handling, and consumption of hydrogen? How can methanol help overcome these challenges?
• Is methanol or ammonia the favoured hydrogen carrier? Will methanol become a universal fuel for future fuel cells?
• How can hydrogen be released from methanol to be used in fuel cells? What are the megatons of hydrogen transported using methanol as a energy carrier?
• How can we replace diesel generators for power applications through the hydrogen and methanol route? 

 

Speakers:
Stephen Crolius, President, Carbon Neutral Consulting
Robert Schluter
, Managing Director, e1 Marine
Matthias Stein
,
Director Chemicals Market, Air Liquide 
Moderator: Larry Navin
, Senior Director for Government & Public Affairs, Methanol Institute

 
  • 11:55
  • -
  • 12:40
  • How can we accelerate the adoption of methanol as a marine fuel? - Valenz, Lloyd's Register, Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG, Dan-Bunkering, Argus

• What is the current timeline for the wider adoption of methanol as a marine fuel compared to other low carbon marine fuels? 
• How can we diversify the different types of methanol products bio/e/blue in the marine space?
• How much green premium are shipping companies and their customers willing to pay for alternative fuels? 
• What new regulatory or market-based incentives are on the rise within the US to enable the uptake of methanol as a marine fuel? What does US inflation reduction act mean to total investments going into fuel production?
• Which ports could offer methanol for bunkering in 2024? Can it be supplied via barges? How are they preparing and handling methanol? 


Speakers:
Peter Harders, Global Director Operations & Strategic Development, Valenz
Vasileios Tzelepis, Lead Technical Consultant, Business Consultancy, Lloyd’s Register
Carlos Torres, Global Head Physical Operations, Dan-Bunkering  
Simon Hettig, Technology Manager, Alternative Fuels, Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG
Moderator: Stefka Wechsler, Marine Fuels Editor, Argus

  • 12:40
  • -
  • End of conference & lunch