TotalEnergies, TES, and three Japanese gas companies have begun the front-end engineering design (FEED) phase for a hydrogen-based e-methane project in the United States.
Located in Nebraska, the Live Oak project will deploy roughly 250 MW of electrolysis and captured biogenic CO₂ to produce up to 75,000 tonnes of synthetic methane annually for export to Japan.
Under a Joint Development and Operating Agreement, Osaka Gas, Toho Gas, and Itochu will collectively hold a 33.3% stake, while TES and TotalEnergies will each retain 33.35%.
The project aims for a final investment decision (FID) in 2027, with commercial operations targeted for 2030. The FEED phase will refine engineering design, cost estimates, and overall project scope.
Live Oak will source biogenic CO₂ from Nebraska’s extensive network of bioethanol plants—one of the largest clusters of its kind in the U.S.
Japan’s gas utilities are increasingly turning to e-methane as a drop-in substitute for fossil natural gas, leveraging existing LNG infrastructure for liquefaction, transport, and regasification. The project supports Japan’s goal of injecting 1% carbon-neutral gas into its national grid by 2030.
Other Japanese companies are also securing low-carbon molecules abroad. Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC) recently signed a long-term offtake agreement for ultra-low-carbon methanol from Mexico’s Pacifico Mexinol project.