French energy technology company Axens is effectively betting on methanol as a key building block in the future fuels landscape.
The company has struck a deal with Air Liquide to acquire its Methanol-to-Olefins technology portfolio, including the Lurgi Methanol-to-Propylene (MTP) process, a move designed to significantly expand its Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) capabilities.
The agreement strengthens Axens’ position in the fast-evolving SAF market by adding a new conversion pathway that turns methanol into olefins—intermediate chemicals that can be further processed into fuels, including SAF.
The acquisition marks a strategic expansion of Axens’ existing SAF offering, which is currently anchored by its ethanol-based Jetanol suite.
With the addition of the Methanol-to-Olefins portfolio, Axens is now pushing into a broader Methanol-to-Jet (MTJ) route, designed to give refiners and fuel producers more flexibility in feedstocks and production routes.
“Aiming to complete SAF production pathways offering, Axens has reached an agreement with Air Liquide to acquire its Lurgi Methanol to Olefins portfolio, including the recognized and proven Lurgi Methanol to Propylene (MTP) technology.
"This technology portfolio will enable the conversion of Methanol into olefins, that can then be further processed into key products, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Within this portfolio, MTP is a well-established and industrially proven technology, with a strong track record of reliable operation at commercial scale.”
The company also emphasized that the expanded portfolio is intended to create a more integrated SAF production ecosystem.
Axens said its updated offering will combine ethanol-to-SAF and methanol-to-jet pathways, positioning the company to cover a wider range of industrial strategies as airlines and fuel producers accelerate decarbonization efforts.
“This Methanol-to-Jet (MTJ) pathway unlocks a new SAF production route within Axens’ portfolio, strengthening it into one of the most comprehensive offerings on the market —enabling clients in optimizing economics, securing supply chains, and future-proofing their SAF investment strategies.”
