Primary Applications

• Hydrate Inhibition: Methanol is frequently injected into natural gas pipelines as a hydrate inhibitor. It lowers the freezing point of water, preventing the formation of “methane ice” (hydrates) that can block gas flow in cold-climate facilities and deep-sea operations.
• Antifreeze and De-icing: It prevents freezing in pipelines and other equipment, ensuring smooth operations in low-temperature environments.
• Solvent for Analysis: In laboratory settings, it is used as a solvent for gas chromatography (GC) to analyze oil samples and pyrolysis oil.
• Fuel Additive: Methanol is used as an additive to improve the octane number of gasoline.
• Chemical Intermediate: It serves as a feedstock for producing biodiesel and other downstream chemicals like formaldehyde and acetic acid. 

Safety and Handling

• High Volatility: Methanol is light, colorless, and extremely flammable.
• Toxicity: It is highly toxic to humans and can cause central nervous system damage and blindness if ingested or inhaled.
• Corrosivity: It can be corrosive to certain metals like lead and aluminum.