Biomethanol Production from Landfill Gas

KBR has been awarded a contract to supply its PureMSM green methanol technology for a biomethanol plant in Saudi Arabia, supporting the conversion of landfill gas into renewable methanol at commercial scale.

Converting landfill gas into renewable methanol
The project, developed by Fikrat Al-Tadweer, targets the utilization of landfill gas as a feedstock for biomethanol production. Landfill gas typically contains methane and carbon dioxide, both of which can be converted into synthesis gas or directly integrated into methanol production pathways. Capturing and converting these gases reduces uncontrolled emissions while creating a usable low-carbon fuel.

Within Saudi Arabia’s waste and energy transition context, landfill gas utilization aligns with national objectives to reduce methane emissions and expand domestic production of sustainable fuels.

PureMSM technology scope and characteristics
KBR’s PureMSM solution is designed for commercial-scale renewable methanol production with a focus on cost efficiency and feedstock flexibility. The process can utilize multiple carbon and hydrogen sources, including biogas, gasification-derived syngas, hydrogen, and pure CO₂, allowing project developers to adapt the configuration to locally available inputs.

Under the contract, KBR will provide technology licensing, proprietary engineering design, catalyst supply, and proprietary equipment. This scope positions KBR as the technology provider responsible for core process performance and integration, while enabling the project developer to execute construction and operations.

Role of biomethanol in energy and waste strategies
Biomethanol is increasingly considered a transitional and enabling fuel within decarbonization strategies, particularly for applications such as marine fuels, chemicals, and blending into existing methanol value chains. When produced from waste-derived feedstocks, its lifecycle emissions profile can be significantly lower than conventional fossil-based methanol.

By transforming landfill gas into methanol, the project links waste management with fuel production, supporting circular resource use and reducing reliance on flaring or venting.

Alignment with national policy objectives
The biomethanol facility supports Saudi Arabia’s policy direction toward mitigating landfill gas emissions and developing sustainable fuel pathways. Projects of this type contribute to emissions reduction by addressing methane at the source while creating exportable or domestically usable low-carbon fuels.

From a technology perspective, the use of a licensed, commercial-scale methanol process reduces execution risk compared with first-of-a-kind designs, supporting earlier deployment.

Broader implications for renewable methanol deployment
The award reflects growing interest in renewable methanol technologies that can integrate diverse feedstocks and scale beyond pilot applications. As regulations and market demand increase for lower-carbon fuels, projects that combine waste-derived inputs with established process technologies are gaining relevance.

Within this context, the Saudi biomethanol project illustrates how landfill gas conversion can move from environmental mitigation toward industrial fuel production, supported by standardized process technology and licensing models.