據普氏能源資訊1月20日倫敦報道，由于聽說貿易商試圖構建庫存來滿足中國農歷新年假期以后的需求，歐洲甲醇價格周四（19日）被評估在32個月以來高位的每噸331歐元FOB鹿特丹。

　　由于進口減少以及新的甲醇制烯烴生產商聽說一直在購買大量的甲醇在他們的工廠附近來保持穩定的庫存，中國港口的甲醇庫存最近一直處于低位。具有年加工450萬噸能力的甲醇制烯烴廠最近在中國開始生產以及今年晚些時候將啟動更多的甲醇制烯烴廠。

　　根據來自中國海關部門的最新統計數據，中國在去年10月份和11月份分別進口了58.7848萬噸和67.9918萬噸甲醇。平均而言，中國通常月進口甲醇近100萬噸。

　　一名市場消息人士說，少數船只的延誤以及庫存的減少正在推動甲醇價格上漲。另外，一些原計劃從中東運往歐洲的甲醇貨物很可能已轉移到中國。

　　李峻編譯

　　原文如下：

　　European methanol at 32-month high as traders build inventories

　　London (Platts)--20 Jan 2017

　　European methanol was assessed at a 32-month high of Eur331/mt FOB Rotterdam Thursday as traders were heard trying to build inventories to meet post-Lunar New Year holiday demand in China.

　　Methanol inventories at Chinese ports have been low recently on lower imports and as new methanol-to-olefins producers have been heard purchasing a bulk of the volumes to keep a steady inventory next to their plants. MTO plants with a total capacity of 4.5 million mt/year have been started up in China recently and more startups are scheduled for later this year.

　　According to the latest data from Chinese customs, methanol imports into China stood at 587,848 mt and 679,918 mt in October and November, respectively. On average, monthly methanol imports into China usually stand close to 1 million mt.

　　A few vessel delays and lower inventory levels are driving prices higher, said a market source. Also, some cargo [originally] bound for Europe from the Middle East has probably been diverted to China.