The designation formalises an engineering relationship developed directly between Frontieras' technical leadership and Yokogawa's project team. As MAC, Yokogawa will assume full accountability for the facility's automation and control infrastructure, encompassing process control systems, safety instrumented systems, analytical instrumentation, cybersecurity architecture, and advanced digital operations solutions across the plant lifecycle.
The Mason County facility is designed to process 2.7 million tpy of coal using Frontieras' patented FASForm Solid Carbon Fractionation technology – a zero-waste, non-combustion process that converts coal into refined liquid fuels, FASCarbonTM solid fuel, hydrogen, ammonium sulfate fertilizer, and industrial chemicals.
As MAC, Yokogawa's scope encompasses the full automation lifecycle of the Mason County facility, from front end engineering design through commissioning and startup. The MAC scope includes instrumentation and analytical systems, production control system and safety instrumented system design, cybersecurity architecture compliant with IEC 62443-SL2 standards, control room design, and advanced digital solutions including plant historian, operator training systems, and asset management platforms.
The Mason County facility broke ground on 2 April 2026. The US$850 million facility is estimated by the West Virginia Department of Economic Development to contribute approximately 3% incremental GDP impact to the state. The project is expected to create approximately 2000 construction-phase jobs and 200 permanent operational positions upon full commissioning.