The chemical equilibria of the gas-phase methanol production from methyl formate were tudied by anayzing the hydrogenolysis reaction(HCOOCH₃2H₂= 2CH₃OH) and decarbonylation reaction(HCOOCH₃= CH₃-OH+CO) occurring concurrently. The equilibrium constant, which includes the effects of nonideality was estimated for each reaction using equations of state. Equilibrium composition for each constituent in this reaction system was evaluated in reaction to temperature, pressure, and initial concentration ratio H₂/HCOOCH₃ and the effect of CO feed on equilibrium conversion of methyl formate was also discussed. General guidelines to improve the selectivity of hydrogenolysis reaction were proposed.