BASF and ExxonMobil Partner to Advance Low-Emission Hydrogen Production via Methane Pyrolysis Technology

BASF and ExxonMobil have entered a strategic collaboration to advance methane pyrolysis technology, marking a key step toward providing efficient, cost-effective, low-emission hydrogen for industrial applications. Under a joint development agreement, the companies will co-develop the technology and plan to build a demonstration plant to move it closer to commercial deployment.

Power in Partnership

“This collaboration combines technological innovations and the industrial expertise of ExxonMobil and BASF to accelerate the development of low-emission hydrogen,” said Mike Zamora, president of ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company. “Methane pyrolysis holds real potential, especially in regions where traditional carbon capture and storage solutions are less viable. ExxonMobil brings decades of deep technical knowledge in methane pyrolysis and a shared commitment to innovation.”

BASF has been advancing methane pyrolysis technology for several years through a project supported by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).

“This novel methane pyrolysis technology generates competitive low-emission hydrogen and has a high potential for further reduction of the carbon footprint of our product portfolio. In line with our Winning Ways strategy, it will contribute to our ambition to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation,” said Dr. Stephan Kothrade, member of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology Officer at BASF. “We have been working on this technology for more than a decade and developed a superior reactor concept that we successfully validated at our test plant in Ludwigshafen. By combining BASF’s process innovation with ExxonMobil’s scale-up expertise, we are bringing this cost-efficient, low-emission hydrogen solution closer to economically viable industrial deployment.”

A Cost-Competitive Path to Low-Emission Hydrogen

Methane pyrolysis uses electricity to convert natural gas or gases like biomethane into hydrogen and solid carbon. The process offers several key advantages: it produces no process-related CO₂ emissions—unlike conventional hydrogen production methods such as steam-methane reforming—requires nearly five times less electricity than water electrolysis, and does not consume water. It can also utilise existing natural gas infrastructure, enabling flexible and straightforward deployment across various locations. These characteristics make methane pyrolysis especially appealing in regions where carbon capture and storage face geological, technical, or policy constraints.

This process yields two valuable outputs: low-emission hydrogen and high-purity solid carbon. Hydrogen serves as a crucial energy carrier and a key feedstock for the chemical industry, while solid carbon can be used in sectors such as steel and aluminium production, construction, and advanced carbon materials, including those used in batteries.

Demonstration Plant to Drive Commercial Readiness

The companies intend to build and operate a demonstration plant that can produce up to 2,000 tonnes of low-emission hydrogen and 6,000 tonnes of solid carbon each year. Located at ExxonMobil’s Baytown Complex, the facility will be a key milestone toward commercial deployment, providing large-scale validation of the technology.

Source: BASF