China’s Sichuan Jiangyou had kept its 100,000 tonne/year methanol unit shut since 10 December due to natural gas shortage.The restart date will depend on when the gas supply resumes. The Chinese government had ordered natural gas to be prioritised for heating purposes as winter approaches. Hence, natural gas for industrial uses, such as for methanol production, is rationed. "As such some producers will not be able to operate."