[ The primary source of methanol is natural gas. ]
Methanol is an alcohol, natural gas is methane, not the same stuff..
Methanol is derived from methane presently for industrial uses as industry uses billions of gallons yearly. Methane is derived from natural gas, check out this citation:
http://www.iags.org/methanolsources.htm .
Before industrialization, methanol was indeed known as wood alcohol as methanol is distilled directly from wood prior to turning the wood into charcoal. The yield however is quite low.
Ethanol, which used in many household products and health and beauty aids and known as standard denatured alcohol or SD Alcohol is also manufactured from natural gas where the feedstock is ethane. Also, the vinegar in that gallon jar if pickles you may have purchased at Walmart is derived from the same ethanol in a chemical factory. Only vinegar where the label states, distilled from grain, and drinking alcohol is derived from grain presently and of course, ethanol fuel additives that qualify for government subsidies.
If you feel as you need even more of an education feel free to write.