Equinor ASA and partner NG Nordic AS subsidiary Mana Group have let a contract to a Maire SPA’s NextChem SPA to deliver a feasibility study for a proposed waste-to-methanol project at Equinor Refining AS’ 12-million tonnes/year (tpy) Mongstad refinery on the west coast of Norway, near Bergen.
The feasibility study will be based on NextChem waste-to-chemical segment MyRechemical SRL’s proprietary NX Circular gasification technology for converting urban and industrial waste into chemical-grade synthesis gas (syngas) that the plant would further process to produce low-carbon methanol for use in reducing emissions of hard-to-abate sectors, Maire said on Oct. 20.
The scope of the study will cover technical and economic evaluation of waste gasification as well as the subsequent purification of syngas for methanol production, according to the service provider.
If built, Maire said the plant could enable methanol production complying with FuelEU Maritime and ReFuelEU Aviation regulations, respectively, to displace fossil-based marine fuels and for use in methanol-to-jet (MtJ) production pathways aligned with emerging sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandates, helping support the broader decarbonization strategies of both the shipping and aviation industries.
Project details, integration
Confirmation of the newly awarded contract to Maire follows separate Oct. 10 announcements from Mana and NG Nordic revealing entrance into an early-stage strategic partnership with Equinor to explore potential development of the large-scale waste-to-methanol plant at Mongstad.
In addition to converting about 550,000 tpy of residual, non-circular waste into 270,000 tpy of low-carbon methanol, Mana and NG Nordic said the proposed Mongstad project would also be equipped to capture and permanently store 400,000 tpy of carbon dioxide (CO2).
The partnership’s plan for using a waste-reducing feedstock to produce green fuels together with carbon capture and storage (CCS) in a single, integrated project comes as an important step in Norway’s journey to a zero-emission society, according to Mana.
"To succeed with innovation and green transition, we must build strong alliances," said Jon Bergan, Mana’s chief executive officer.
"The partnership with Equinor is a milestone for Mana. Together, we are taking a new step to support the development of a circular economy and industrial decarbonization in Norway," Bergan added.
While a precise timeline for anticipated startup of the proposed plant has yet to be revealed, Mana and ND Nordic confirmed the project’s feasibility study is targeted for completion during spring 2026.
Mongstad’s existing CCS capability
In addition to its Mongstad refinery, Equinor also acts as operator of Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM)—the largest global plant for development and testing of CO2-capture technology—at the industrial site.
Jointly owned by Gassnova SF (36%), Equinor (22%), Shell PLC (22%) and TotalEnergies SE (22%), TCM has a combined CO2-capture capacity of about 100,000 tpy that is currently removed from the Mongstad refinery’s two flue gas sources, according to Equinor’s website.
