Syngas employed for methanol comprising principally carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen (H₂) is fed to a catalytic reactor. The reactor offgas is cooled to condense product methanol and yield a reactor purge gas stream. This gas stream contains unreacted H₂, CO and CO₂. Also present are methane (CH₄), N2 and depending on the source of the syngas, argon (Ar). Removal and recovery of hydrogen has been shown to increase methanol production between 2-4%, which in large plants is quite significant. Air Liquide Advanced Separations' (ALaS) membranes placed in the reactor purge gas loop downstream of the methanol separator recover 80-90% of the H₂ in the gas stream. H₂ is recycled back to the syngas compressor loop, while the residue gas rich in CO, CH4 is purged by way of the fuel gas header. ALaS offers a range of high performing polyaramide and polyimide membrane products for customers to consider. Utilizing ALaS membranes in a methanol reactor purge gas loop recovers and profitably utilizes H₂; customers are able to realize increased methanol production as almost soon as the membrane unit is started up.