BASF and ExxonMobil Join Forces to Advance Industrialization of Methane Pyrolysis Technology

On November 18, Zhuangsu Vision learned that ExxonMobil and BASF announced a strategic partnership to jointly develop methane pyrolysis technology, with plans to construct a demonstration plant at ExxonMobil's Baytown facility in Texas. Both parties stated that this initiative is a crucial step towards providing commercial hydrogen solutions to the industrial sector.

This demonstration plant located in Texas will utilize existing natural gas infrastructure to produce up to 2,000 tons of low-emission hydrogen and 6,000 tons of solid carbon products annually.

A research and development project spanning over a decade

BASF has been developing methane pyrolysis technology for over a decade, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space. This technology has been successfully validated at BASF's test facility in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

"By integrating BASF's process innovations with ExxonMobil's expertise in large-scale technology, we are advancing this efficient, low-cost, and low-emission hydrogen solution towards economically viable industrial applications," said Dr. Stephan Kothrade, member of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology Officer of BASF.

The methane pyrolysis technology converts natural gas or biogas into hydrogen and solid carbon through electricity, with no process-related carbon dioxide emissions generated. Both parties stated that this technology has multiple advantages:

- No process-related carbon dioxide emissions;

The power consumption is about one-fifth that of water electrolysis.

No consumption of water resources is required.

Can be flexibly deployed in different locations.

Both parties also stated that, due to the absence of process-related carbon dioxide emissions, this technology is particularly attractive in regions facing geological, technological, or policy-related challenges in carbon capture and storage.