ANP makes Dynamic Methanol Monitoring Panel available to the public

In Brazil, ANP made the Dynamic Methanol Monitoring Panel available. The tool aims to make public the data that the Agency uses to monitor movements of this type of solvent and identify possible signs of diversion of the product for irregular purposes (such as, for example, the adulteration of fuels).
Internally, this data was already used to control the market and to support the planning of ANP inspection actions. With the publication of the panel, the Agency provides transparency to the data and allows economic agents and society to also help monitor this market.

Among the uses permitted for methanol in Brazil, one of the main ones is its use as an input in the production of biodiesel, which is an activity regulated by the ANP. Biodiesel producers account for 52% of all methanol consumption in the country. The remainder is used in other industries not regulated by the Agency, such as the production of formaldehyde, resins, wood preparation and plywood.
Therefore, the ANP has been cross-checking data on the acquisition of methanol by biodiesel producers with those on the production of this biofuel, to check whether the volumes are compatible. The average proportion of methanol purchased by the market was 12% in relation to the volume of biodiesel produced.
The panel thus shows the volume of methanol purchased by each economic agent, its biodiesel production in the same period and the corresponding percentage between both volumes. The tool also allows the monitoring of time series of this data.

Based on this data, the ANP has already been taking measures such as denying import licenses and opening administrative proceedings to investigate signs of irregularities in the commercialization of methanol – both related to biodiesel producers with incompatible volumes between methanol acquisition and biofuel production, and to solvent distributors suspected of supplying the product for unauthorized uses.