Houston-based ZeoGas announced Tuesday that it had secured a MegaMethanol technology license from Air Liquide.

When completed, the production capacity of the licensed facility will be 5,000 tpd of Grade AA methanol. ZeoGas will operate the MegaMethanol plant for its own account, using the methanol as feedstock to produce 16,500 bpd of sulfur-free, ultra-low benzene, regular octane gasoline.

MegaMethanoltechnology, which is part of Air Liquide’s proprietary Lurgi technology portfolio, generates optimum syngas composition, required for downstream methanol synthesis and production. MegaMethanol is a proven and efficient technology, according to Air Liquide officials, who say it requires lower investment per metric ton of production than smaller-scale production technologies.

“ZeoGas is committed to using only use-proven, commercial-scale technologies to build a portfolio of plants to convert clean-burning natural gas to sulfur-free, ultra-low benzene gasoline, and MegaMethanol is the proven, reliable and efficient technology we selected to produce the amount of methanol needed to feed our gasoline production process," said Timothy D. Belton, founder and CEO of ZeoGas.

"We are pleased to have accomplished this milestone in our development,”