Sustainability Assessment of Dry Reforming of Methane via Carbon Intensity and Syngas Energy Recovery Analysis

Devasahayam, Sheila; Thella, John Samuel; Mohanty, Manoj K.

doi:10.3390/en18236307

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Sustainability Assessment of Dry Reforming of Methane via Carbon Intensity and Syngas Energy Recovery Analysis

by

Sheila Devasahayam

^1,*

,

John Samuel Thella

² and

Manoj K. Mohanty

²

¹

WA School of Mines (WASM), Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Kalgoorlie, WA 6430, Australia

²

Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Energies 2025, 18(23), 6307; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18236307 (registering DOI)

Submission received: 5 November 2025 / Revised: 26 November 2025 / Accepted: 27 November 2025 / Published: 30 November 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Materials, Catalyst and Advances in Hydrogen Energy Production)

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Abstract

This study conducts a comprehensive sustainability assessment of Dry Reforming of Methane (DRM), focusing on carbon intensity and syngas energy recovery (%) as primary performance indicators. By combining thermodynamic analysis with physics-informed machine learning (ML) models, DRM performance is evaluated across a range of operating conditions. Incorporating reaction enthalpy, carbon intensity, and syngas energy recovery as engineered features substantially improves model accuracy over baseline and kinetic models. Monte Carlo simulations are used to quantify uncertainty and identify robust operating windows, while techno-economic analysis benchmarks DRM against Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) and electrolysis. The results demonstrate that DRM can achieve syngas energy recovery values up to 190% and carbon intensity as low as 0.17, underscoring its promise as a competitive, low-carbon pathway for hydrogen and syngas production.

Keywords: dry reforming of methane; hydrogen; machine learning models; Monte Carlo Simulations; thermodynamic analysis; enthalpy; carbon intensity; syngas energy recovery; carbon capture and utilization; life-cycle assessment; techno-economic analysis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Devasahayam, S.; Thella, J.S.; Mohanty, M.K. Sustainability Assessment of Dry Reforming of Methane via Carbon Intensity and Syngas Energy Recovery Analysis. Energies 2025, 18, 6307. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18236307

AMA Style

Devasahayam S, Thella JS, Mohanty MK. Sustainability Assessment of Dry Reforming of Methane via Carbon Intensity and Syngas Energy Recovery Analysis. Energies. 2025; 18(23):6307. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18236307

Chicago/Turabian Style

Devasahayam, Sheila, John Samuel Thella, and Manoj K. Mohanty. 2025. "Sustainability Assessment of Dry Reforming of Methane via Carbon Intensity and Syngas Energy Recovery Analysis" Energies 18, no. 23: 6307. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18236307

APA Style

Devasahayam, S., Thella, J. S., & Mohanty, M. K. (2025). Sustainability Assessment of Dry Reforming of Methane via Carbon Intensity and Syngas Energy Recovery Analysis. Energies, 18(23), 6307. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18236307

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Sustainability Assessment of Dry Reforming of Methane via Carbon Intensity and Syngas Energy Recovery Analysis

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