Amec Foster Wheeler announces that the pilot plant of its new VESTA once-through methanation technology, with wide H2/CO flexibility, has been successfully tested and is ready for commercial application. The pilot plant in China was developed with the support of partners Wison Engineering (Wison) and Clariant.

Test results confirm a number of advantages for VESTA over existing technologies including:

• The VESTA technology is a once-through operation with no need for expensive compressors or refractory reactors, reducing capital expenditure by 20 percent or more.


• The substitute natural gas (SNG) production is easy to operate and does not require strict control of the hydrogen / carbon ratio. The product quality is therefore more stable and reliable.


• The catalyst has a higher conversion rate and wider operating temperature range (230-700°C).


• The technology has a significant energy saving impact. According to the test results, the new technology can reduce operating costs by over US$25 million per year based on a sample model of 4 billion standard cubic metres SNG output per year.

• Innovative VESTA methanation technology produces substitute natural gas from gasification of either coal or petroleum coke


• VESTA provides significant capital and operational expenditure savings for customers


• Proprietary Clariant catalyst


• Safer and more reliable technology