Market & pricing
Market and pricing
How methanol is priced, where the benchmarks currently sit, and what actually determines the number a UK buyer is quoted.
- Europe posted, Q2 2026
- €850 / t
- Quarterly change
- +€315 / t
- Reset frequency
- Quarterly
- Source dated
- 31 Mar 2026
Methanol pricing is opaque by design and volatile by nature. The numbers that matter are published by producers as posted contract prices, which are reference levels rather than transaction prices; the numbers that would tell you what material actually changes hands at sit behind subscriptions costing several thousand pounds a year. Between those two things is a gap that most UK buyers fall into.
This section covers what is knowable for free: how the posted price mechanism works, where the benchmarks currently sit, what physically moves the price, how methanol reaches the UK, and how the global market is structured. None of it substitutes for a price reporting agency if you are trading at scale. All of it is enough to tell whether the quote in front of you is in the right postcode.
Key points
- Posted contract prices are non-discounted reference levels. Real contracts settle below them, and the discount is the negotiation.
- The European posted price resets quarterly; North American, Asian and Chinese postings reset monthly. Comparing across regions without checking the basis is a common error.
- Regional prices diverge substantially, which is why import re import parity and freight dominate the UK delivered price.
- Methanol is made from natural gas, so European feedstock costs transmit into the price with very little lag.
- Packaged material carries a large premium over bulk. The move from IBCs to tanker delivery is usually the biggest unit-cost saving available.
Where the posted prices sit
The most recent producer postings, shown with their basis. Note that these are not comparable like-for-like: the North American figure is a non-discounted reference price set deliberately well above where contracts settle, while the Asian and Chinese figures are posted contract prices.
| Region | Basis | Price | Change | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | Posted contract price | €850 / t | +€315 / t | 1 Apr – 30 Jun 2026 |
| US Gulf Coast | Non-discounted reference price | $3.75 / gal ≈ $1,247 / t | +$0.92 / gal | 1 – 30 Apr 2026 |
| Asia Pacific | Posted contract price | $740 / t | +$375 / t | 1 – 30 Apr 2026 |
| China | Posted contract price | $590 / t | +$250 / t | 1 – 30 Apr 2026 |
The European posted price moved by €315 per tonne in a single quarterly reset. Methanol is a gas-linked commodity and a fixed annual price is rarely available on terms worth taking — decide whether you want fixed, index-linked or posted-minus-discount exposure before a supplier decides for you.
Methanol price per tonne, UK
What UK buyers actually pay, how delivered pricing is built up, and how packaged compares with bulk. Updated each posted-price reset.
How methanol is priced
Posted contract prices, non-discounted reference prices, index-linked contracts and what each means for your exposure.
What moves the methanol price
Natural gas, outages, freight, Chinese MTO demand and marine fuel — the forces behind the numbers.
UK supply chain and imports
Where UK methanol comes from, which terminals handle it, and what import parity means for your delivered price.
The global methanol market
Production capacity, demand by derivative, and how the grey-to-green transition is reshaping the trade.
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