In a groundbreaking deployment, Velocys led the successful commissioning and operation of the first commercial gas-to-liquids plant (GTL) in the U.S. powered by landfill gas.
The project validated Velocys’ advanced Fischer-Tropsch technology and set a new benchmark for renewable fuel production from waste-derived syngas.
Partners: Waste Management, NRG Energy, Velocys, and a regional EPC firm
Location: East Oak Landfill, Oklahoma City, OK
Feedstock: Landfill gas (LFG)
Envia answered the challenge—built and operated a first-of-a-kind (FOAK) gas-to-liquids plant that:
Velocys’ microFTL™ microchannel reactors and Oxford-engineered SQRCAT™ catalyst were integrated into a modular GTL plant that included a steam methane reformer (SMR) to convert landfill gas into syngas. This was then upgraded into high-quality synthetic crude and separated into finished fuels.
Velocys assumed operational leadership during the critical commissioning phase—ensuring optimized performance, safety, and regulatory compliance.
Velocys became the only FT technology licensor to operate a commercial-scale GTL plant using renewable feedstock.
Landfill gas volumes and quality can shift unpredictably—systems must be robust and flexible.
Unified systems reduce complexity and operational errors.
Design plants for in-house maintenance to lower OPEX and downtime.
Despite its technical success, the Envia facility ceased operations in 2018 due to economic and supply-side constraints. However, key systems were repurposed in a smaller-scale renewable natural gas (RNG) facility—demonstrating the durability and adaptability of Velocys technology.
Velocys proved its microchannel FT reactors can deliver:
The Envia project operated for more than 6,000 hours, producing over 1.6 million liters of renewable fuels.
This facility set a U.S. first—the only operational commercial-scale GTL plant using landfill gas.
Although Envia produced renewable diesel and naphtha rather than SAF, it demonstrated commercial-scale Fischer–Tropsch synthesis using Velocys microchannel reactor technology under real operating conditions. The same FT synthesis process used at Envia is the foundation for many modern syngas-to-SAF pathways.
Envia demonstrated continuous operation of a modular Fischer–Tropsch system at commercial conditions, producing approximately 1.6 million liters of fuel and wax products. The project generated valuable operating data on reactor performance, catalyst behavior, startup procedures, and system integration that continue to inform current FT deployments.
Modern SAF pathways such as biogas-to-SAF, biomass-to-SAF, waste-to-SAF, and power-to-liquids all rely on the same fundamental step: converting synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons through Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. While feedstocks may differ, the hydrocarbon synthesis technology validated at Envia remains directly relevant to SAF production.
Yes. Envia utilized Velocys' AlphaCore™ microchannel Fischer–Tropsch reactor technology and SQRCAT™ catalyst system that forms the foundation of today's microFTL™ technology platform. Lessons learned from commissioning, operation, catalyst management, and performance optimization at Envia continue to support current renewable fuel and SAF projects.
Envia provided real-world experience across the full lifecycle of a Fischer–Tropsch facility, including commissioning, startup, performance testing, catalyst loading, catalyst management, product qualification, and long-term operation. This experience helps reduce deployment risk for future commercial projects.