Methanex Corporation to Temporarily Idle New Zealand Operations to Assist in Improving Energy Balances
August 12 2024 - 5:32PM
Methanex Corporation (TSX:MX) (NASDAQ:MEOH) announced today that it
has entered into short-term commercial arrangements to provide its
contracted natural gas into the New Zealand electricity market. As
a result, it is temporarily idling its manufacturing operations in
New Zealand until the end of October 2024. These commercial
arrangements are expected to positively impact Methanex’s Q3 and Q4
2024 earnings with after-tax proceeds expected to meaningfully
exceed the margin lost on New Zealand methanol production delivered
to customers. The commercial arrangements are structured to provide
Methanex with a base price for each unit of gas delivered with
further incremental value shared between the parties depending on
electricity pricing over the period.
Rich Sumner, President and CEO, commented, “New
Zealand’s energy balances are currently very strained due to
seasonally high demand combined with low hydro levels and
relatively lower gas supply in 2024 compared with previous years.
We have been working closely with energy providers, other gas users
and the government of New Zealand on how we can be part of the
solution. We believe these agreements will play an important role
to support the energy sector and to facilitate this we’re making
the appropriate adjustments to utilize our global supply chain to
ensure we continue to provide our customers with methanol supply
security. We have natural gas contracted in New Zealand through
2029 and are committed to working with all parties to improve the
structural energy balances in the country.”
Methanex is a Vancouver-based, publicly traded
company and is the world’s largest supplier of methanol to major
international markets. Methanex shares are listed for trading on
the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada under the trading symbol “MX”
and on the NASDAQ Global Market in the United States under the
trading symbol “MEOH”. Methanex can be visited online at
www.methanex.com.
Inquiries:Sarah HerriottDirector, Investor
RelationsMethanex Corporation 604-661-2600 or Toll Free:
1-800-661-8851www.methanex.com
Forward-Looking Statements:
These statements relate to future events or our
future performance. All statements other than statements of
historical fact are forward-looking statements. Statements that
include the words “expects”, “believe”, and “will”, or other
comparable terminology and similar statements of a future or
forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements.
More particularly and without limitation, any
statements regarding the following are forward-looking
statements:
- expected shutdowns (either
temporary or permanent) or restarts of existing methanol supply
(including our own facilities), including, without limitation, the
timing and length of planned maintenance outages,
- expected methanol and energy
prices,
- expected levels, timing and
availability of economically priced natural gas supply to each of
our plants,
- anticipated operating rates of our
plants,
- expected operating costs, including
natural gas feedstock costs and logistics costs,
- expected tax rates,
- expected cash flows, cash balances,
earnings capability, debt levels and share price, and
- expected actions of governments,
governmental agencies, gas suppliers, courts, tribunals or other
third parties.
We believe that we have a reasonable basis for
making such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking
statements in this document are based on our experience, our
perception of trends, current conditions and expected future
developments as well as other factors. Certain material factors or
assumptions were applied in drawing the conclusions or making the
forecasts or projections that are included in these forward-looking
statements, including, without limitation, future expectations and
assumptions concerning the following:
- the supply of, demand for and price
of methanol, methanol derivatives, natural gas, coal, oil and oil
derivatives,
- our ability to procure natural gas
feedstock on commercially acceptable terms,
- operating rates of our
facilities,
- receipt or issuance of third-party
consents or approvals or governmental approvals related to rights
to purchase natural gas,
- operating costs, including natural
gas feedstock and logistics costs, capital costs, tax rates, cash
flows, foreign exchange rates and interest rates,
- absence of a material negative
impact from changes in laws or regulations, and
- enforcement of contractual
arrangements and ability to perform contractual obligations by
customers, natural gas and other suppliers and other third
parties.
However, forward-looking statements, by their
nature, involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those contemplated by the
forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties primarily
include those attendant with producing and marketing methanol and
successfully carrying out major capital expenditure projects in
various jurisdictions, including, without limitation:
- conditions in the methanol and
other industries, including fluctuations in the supply, demand and
price for methanol and its derivatives, including demand for
methanol for energy uses,
- the price of natural gas, coal, oil
and oil derivatives,
- our ability to obtain natural gas
feedstock on commercially acceptable terms to underpin current
operations and future production growth opportunities,
- actions of competitors, suppliers
and financial institutions,
- conditions within the natural gas
delivery systems that may prevent delivery of our natural gas
supply requirements,
- competing demand for natural gas,
especially with respect to any domestic needs for gas and
electricity,
- actions of governments and
governmental authorities, including, without limitation,
implementation of policies or other measures that could impact the
supply of or demand for methanol or its derivatives,
- changes in laws or regulations,
and
- other risks described in our 2023
Annual Management’s Discussion and Analysis and this Second Quarter
2024 Management’s Discussion and Analysis.
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