Technical methanol (methyl alcohol)
Methanol is used:

• in the oil refining industry as a solvent for the purification of gasoline from mercaptans, as well as in the isolation of toluene;
• in the gas industry as a reagent in the fight against hydrate formation and partially as a reagent for drying natural gas, as an inhibitor of hydrates formed in gas pipelines;
• as a high-octane fuel additive, which increases engine power while dramatically reducing the amount of exhaust gases;
• for protein synthesis (protein-vitamin concentrate);
• in the production of dimethyl terephthalate, pesticides, chemical plant protection products, for the production of acetic and formic acids (the latter is used in the coagulation of latex, as a leather tanning agent, food preservative and for silage feed).

Three-quarters of the methanol produced is utilized by the chemical industry for manufacturing formalin, urotropin, acetic acid, and methylation products. In the petrochemical sector, primary consumers include producers of isoprene and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).

An emerging significant application of methanol is in the production of biodiesel fuel through the transesterification of rapeseed oil with CH3OH. There's also promising potential for methanol in the production of high-purity olefins (ethylene and propylene) for polymerization, with global demand for these increasing annually. Methanol serves as a crucial intermediate product in various industrial syntheses.

Major consumers encompass formaldehyde manufacturers, resin producers, and other methanol-based product manufacturers. Methanol's notable properties include its excellent solubility in water and low freezing point.