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On November 17, BASF and ExxonMobil entered into a strategic partnership to advance the development of methane pyrolysis technology, taking a key step toward providing efficient and cost-competitive low-carbon hydrogen solutions for the industrial sector. The two parties have signed a joint development agreement to work together on methane pyrolysis technology, and plan to build a demonstration plant to advance the commercial application of this technology. Mike Zamora, President of ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering, said, “This partnership will combine ExxonMobil’s and BASF’s technological innovations and industry experience to accelerate the development of low-carbon hydrogen.” Methane pyrolysis technology holds great potential, especially in areas where traditional carbon capture and storage solutions are less viable. ExxonMobil possesses decades of extensive technical expertise in methane pyrolysis, and both parties share a common commitment to innovation. ” BASF has been developing methane pyrolysis technology over the past few years, a project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research and Technology (BMFT). Dr. Stephan Kothrade, member of the Executive Board and Chief Technology Officer of the BASF Group responsible for the Asia-Pacific region, said: “This innovative methane pyrolysis technology enables the production of competitive low-carbon hydrogen, and it holds the potential to further reduce the carbon footprint of our product portfolio.” This aligns perfectly with our corporate strategy of ‘Achieving Success Through the Right Approach’; we are committed to becoming the preferred chemical company for our clients, helping them achieve a green transformation. Through over a decade of dedicated work in this technical field, we have developed an advanced reactor concept that has been successfully tested in the pilot plant in Ludwigshafen. By combining BASF’s process innovations with ExxonMobil’s expertise in scaling up production, we are accelerating the transition of this cost-effective low-carbon hydrogen solution to an economically viable industrial application. ” Methane pyrolysis technology uses electrical energy to convert natural gas or other gases (such as biomethane) into hydrogen and solid carbon. This technology boasts several significant advantages: unlike traditional hydrogen production methods such as steam methane reforming, the methane pyrolysis process does not generate carbon dioxide emissions; compared to water electrolysis for hydrogen production, it requires only about one-fifth as much electricity and no water at all. Furthermore, this technology can be implemented using existing natural gas infrastructure, making it easy to deploy in different regions. Since this process does not produce carbon dioxide emissions, this technology is highly attractive for regions facing challenges in carbon capture and storage such as geological conditions, technical barriers, or policy restrictions. This process can simultaneously produce two high-value products: low-carbon hydrogen and high-purity solid carbon. Hydrogen is both an important energy carrier and a key raw material in the chemical industry; solid carbon can be applied in various fields such as steel and aluminum manufacturing, construction, and advanced carbon products (such as battery materials). The two parties plan to build and operate a demonstration plant that will produce around 2,000 tons of low-carbon hydrogen per year, as well as around 6,000 tons of solid carbon products per year. The plant will be located within the ExxonMobil Beton complex; as an important step toward commercialization, this will serve to verify the large-scale application of this technology.