ExxonMobil and BASF Forge Alliance to Scale Breakthrough Methane Pyrolysis Technology
#MethanePyrolysis #LowCarbonHydrogen #SolidCarbon #CleanTechnology #IndustrialCollaboration #ExxonMobil #BASF #EnergyTransition“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.” - Dr. Stephan Kothrade- Chief Technology Officer & Member of the Board of Executive Directors, BASF
November 2025 : Industry giants ExxonMobil and BASF have recently announced a strategic collaboration to jointly develop and deploy breakthrough methane pyrolysis technology, marking a major milestone in the race to deliver cost-competitive, low-emission hydrogen solutions. The companies have signed a joint development agreement, with plans already underway to construct a large-scale demonstration plant at ExxonMobil’s Baytown Complex in Texas.
Methane pyrolysis is a game-changing process that uses electricity to convert natural gas or bio-methane into hydrogen and solid carbon. This technology offers significant advantages over traditional hydrogen production: it generates no process-related emissions, requires approximately five times less electrical energy than water electrolysis, and avoids the use of water. Furthermore, it leverages existing natural gas infrastructure, enhancing its global deployability.
The process creates two valuable products: low-emission hydrogen, a critical energy carrier and chemical feedstock, and high-purity solid carbon, which has diverse applications in steel, aluminum, construction, and advanced carbon products like battery materials.
This partnership combines BASF's decade-plus of process innovation-which includes a superior reactor concept validated at its test plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany-with ExxonMobil's deep technical knowledge and expertise in scaling up industrial technologies.
“This collaboration combines technological innovations and 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.”
Dr. Stephan Kothrade, member of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology Officer at BASF, added: “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. 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.”
The planned Baytown facility will be capable of producing up to 2,000 tons of low-emission hydrogen and 6,000 tons of solid carbon annually, serving as a critical step toward validating the technology at commercial scale. This collaboration underscores ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions’ strategy to deliver scalable, efficient, and globally deployable hydrogen solutions, building the future of hydrogen- one molecule at a time.
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