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Envia GTL Plant

Velocys delivers first commercial-scale gas-to-liquids plant using landfill gas

Built. Operated. Proven.

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 (FT) technology and set a new benchmark for renewable fuel production from waste-derived syngas.

Project by the numbers

  • >6,000 hours—Commercial FT reactor runtime
  • 1.6 million liters—Renewable products produced
  • 200 barrels per day—Peak daily plant production
  • >1,000 kW/day—Renewable electricity co-generated
  • 1st and only—Commercial FT GTL plant using LFG in the U.S.

Client profile: Envia Energy

Partners: Waste Management, NRG Energy, Velocys, and a regional EPC firm
Location: East Oak Landfill, Oklahoma City, OK
Feedstock: Landfill gas (LFG)

Challenge: Build first commercial landfill gas-to-fuel facility

Envia set out to build and operate a first-of-a-kind (FOAK) gas-to-liquids plant that would:

  • Demonstrate Fischer-Tropsch technology at commercial scale
  • Convert LFG into renewable diesel, wax, and naphtha
  • Generate RINs to support project economics
  • Provide Velocys with full-cycle operational experience

Solution—SMR + microchannel FT reactor system in a modular GTL solution

Velocys’ microchannel FT reactor system was 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.

Results—Fischer-Tropsch technology proven at commercial scale in gas-to-liquids plant

Velocys became the only FT technology licensor to operate a commercial-scale GTL plant using renewable feedstock.

FT and plant operational excellence

  • Over 6,000 hours of continuous FT reactor operation
  • Zero recordable safety incidents
  • Generated 1,000+ kW/day of renewable electricity from steam recovery

Market and regulatory impact

  • Delivered 1.6 million liters of renewable diesel, wax, and naphtha
  • Generated RINs, validating marketability and environmental credit generation

Hands-on experience for future projects

  • Mastery of startup, catalyst loading, and control systems
  • Lessons that informed future FT system improvements

Key learnings for future FT reactor and LFG-to-fuels deployment

Design for feedstock variability

Landfill gas volumes and quality can shift unpredictably—systems must be robust and flexible.

Integrate control systems

Unified systems reduce complexity and operational errors.

Enable onsite maintenance

Design plants for in-house maintenance to lower OPEX and downtime.

Project completion and legacy

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.

Legacy impact:
Velocys proved its microchannel FT reactors can deliver:

  • High performance at commercial scale
  • Reliable output from waste-based feedstocks
  • Real-world learnings critical to future SAF and GTL deployments

This project remains a milestone in waste-to-fuel innovation and the commercial validation of distributed GTL solutions.

TLDR—Velocys Envia project summary

Velocys built and operated the first commercial-scale GTL plant using landfill gas. The project validated Fischer-Tropsch technology for converting renewable waste gas into fuels—proving its commercial viability with over 6,000 runtime hours and more than 1.6 million liters of product delivered.

Why Envia was a big deal

Velocys is the only FT licensor with proven commercial-scale GTL plant runtime using renewable feedstocks.

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.

Contact us today to learn more about how Velocys microchannel FT technology can derisk your project and reduce overall fuel cost