Ways to make Methane

2 routes in the Atlas, side by side per the same functional unit. Whether they compare is computed from their data, criterion by criterion; a warning sits next to each route it concerns.

Not comparable as they standReference product (grade, state): differs. The rows say which route each warning concerns.

Per 1 kg of Methane: inventory from each route's LCI dataset, unallocated; footprints per the functional unit of their own LCA.

RouteTier, design maturity, review statusGeography, yearEnergyFeedstocksKey emissionsFootprintComparability
Toluene hydrodealkylation to benzene (100 kt/a, thermal HDA)thermal toluene hydrodealkylation, adiabatic reactor 895-936 K / 3.4 MPa, H2 recycle with purge and purge hydrogen recovery by PSA, stabiliser, benzene and vacuum toluene columns; 100 kt/a benzene, concept designflowsheet or hand-writtenDesign maturity: Concept (research)Not independently reviewedDataset review: unreviewedGLO, 2026a co-product of a multi-output dataset (product:BENZENE, product:DIPHENYL besides it): its share needs the allocation of the LCI database buildno footprint
  • Reference product (grade, state): product is no grade (temperature 40.0); the routes state no grade (basis mass, component CH4, pressure 70.0, purity 0.9405068, temperature 40.0), no grade (temperature 40.0)
Natural gas processing (amine CO2 removal, TEG dehydration, turbo-expander NGL recovery)Sweet gas plant: inlet separation, MDEA CO2 removal (acid gas vented), TEG dehydration with molecular sieve polishing, GSP-type turbo-expander NGL recovery (90 % C2, 98 % C3), electric-motor residue compression; 100 MMscf/d (about 0.8 Mt/a) of Barnett-type rich shale gasflowsheet or hand-writtenDesign maturity: Concept (research)Not independently reviewedDataset review: unreviewedUS, 2026
  • LP steam 450 kPa(a) from the site steam system (amine reboiler): 0.0157 kWh
  • Electric power (AC, grid): 0.058 kWh
  • Raw natural gas from field gathering (water-saturated, with free water): 1.42 kg
  • Demineralised make-up water (amine loop): 0.000886 kg
  • Combustion air (ambient): 0.0264 kg (free)
  • MDEA make-up (losses by vaporisation, entrainment, degradation): 0.0000273 kg
  • TEG make-up (vaporisation and carry-over losses): 0.0000255 kg
  • Molecular sieve adsorbent (zeolite 4A), replaced every 4 years: 0.0000182 kg
  • C2H6 to the environment: 0.0000121 kg
  • C3H8 to the environment: 0.00000781 kg
  • CH4 to the environment: 0.0000444 kg
  • CO2 to the environment: 0.0132 kg
  • NOx to the environment (estimated): 0.00000314 kg
  • CO to the environment (estimated): 0.00000264 kg
  • N2O to the environment (estimated): 0.000000069 kg
  • PM to the environment (estimated): 0.000000239 kg
  • NMVOC to the environment (estimated): 0.000000173 kg
0.0105 kg CO2-eqClimate change per 1 kg SALESGAS
  • Reference product (grade, state): product is no grade (basis mass, component CH4, pressure 70.0, purity 0.9405068, temperature 40.0); the routes state no grade (basis mass, component CH4, pressure 70.0, purity 0.9405068, temperature 40.0), no grade (temperature 40.0)
How comparability is checked
Allocation
same (same allocation method: energy)
Background data (impacts)
not applicable (same background data and boundary behind the impact numbers (only routes with a footprint))
System boundary
same (same system boundary of the inventory (the dataset's boundary): gate-to-gate foreground of the plant)
Data quality (TfS DQR)
same (data quality: every route states a TfS DQR, none more than 1 above the best)
Functional unit
same (same functional unit (amount and unit of the reference product): 1 kg)
Reference product (grade, state)
differs (same reference product: registry grade and state: no grade (basis mass, component CH4, pressure 70.0, purity 0.9405068, temperature 40.0), no grade (temperature 40.0))
System model
same (same system model (docs/system-model.md): cutoff)

ISO 14044 requires a critical review (by a panel of interested parties, ISO/TS 14071) of a comparative assertion intended to be disclosed to the public. These routes are listed side by side for screening; a statement that one is better than another needs that review. None of these routes has had such a review.