KBR Wins Contract to Supply PureM Biomethanol Technology for Landmark Saudi Arabia Plant
Houston-based engineering firm to provide technology and design for a first-of-its-kind landfill-to-methanol facility aligned with Riyadh’s sustainability goals
KBR, the Texas-based engineering, technology and construction firm, has been awarded a contract to supply its proprietary PureM green methanol technology for a pioneering biomethanol plant in Saudi Arabia designed to convert landfill gas into clean fuels.
The contract was secured by Saudi waste-to-energy specialist Fikrat Al-Tadweer, marking a significant step in the Kingdom’s efforts to reduce emissions from landfill sources and expand its renewable fuels sector.
According to the company, the scope of work includes licensing of the PureM process, proprietary engineering design, catalysts and specialised equipment necessary to support commercial-scale biomethanol production.
The PureM solution is engineered to produce renewable methanol at commercially viable costs while offering flexibility in feedstock utilisation, capable of processing biogas, gasification-derived syngas, hydrogen and pure carbon dioxide.
KBR executives framed the collaboration as consistent with Saudi Arabia’s environmental and energy transition strategies, supporting both greenhouse gas reduction and the development of sustainable fuel alternatives.
The project underscores the Kingdom’s broader policy emphasis on cleaner energy pathways and aligns with national objectives that seek to diversify industrial activity and reduce the environmental impact of waste streams.
KBR has positioned the contract as a continuation of its expanding footprint in the Middle East’s low-carbon technology sector, reflecting increasing demand for innovative solutions that bridge traditional energy infrastructure with emerging sustainable technologies.
The firm’s president of Sustainable Technology Solutions highlighted the strategic significance of the award, noting that it reinforces KBR’s role in enabling energy security and contributing to global decarbonisation efforts.
The execution timeline and commercial operation date for the biomethanol facility have not yet been disclosed, but the deal represents one of the most prominent renewable fuel technology deployments announced in the region this year.