An abundance of natural gas feedstock and a relatively stable selling price for methanol, combined with apparently growing demand, have spurred several producers to consider expanding methanol production in all corners of the world. But if many national governments decide not to follow the Environmental Protection Agency's lead in controlling automotive emissions through reformulated and oxygenated fuels—which use methanol-derived additives—many proposed methanol projects may never be built. And producers may not find enough buyers for their current methanol production, leading to the shuttering of existing facilities. The industry's two leading producers—Methanex and Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), which together account for more than 27% of annual methanol capacity—have the most at stake. The industry, however, soon will see the emergence of another major player. Negotiations are under way to combine the methanol assets in Trinidad and Tobago into a single entity, explains James R. Crocco, executi...