Frontieras Breaks Ground on $850M Facility in West Virginia

New coal-to-products plant to be built in Mason County

Apr. 2, 2026 at 9:20pm

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a polished metal canister, a glass beaker, and a sleek metal pipe arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic background, conceptually representing the advanced technology and industrial processes used by Frontieras to extract valuable molecules from coal.Frontieras' innovative coal-to-products technology is poised to transform West Virginia's energy and manufacturing sectors.Point Pleasant Today

Frontieras North America, an energy technology company, has broken ground on an $850 million FASForm facility in Mason County, West Virginia. The plant will use innovative processes to extract molecules from coal to create products like diesel, jet fuel, and technical coke for steel manufacturing.

Why it matters

The arrival of Frontieras is seen as a major economic development win for West Virginia, which is aiming to grow its energy and manufacturing sectors. The state has announced over $12.8 billion in new investments and 11,000 projected jobs since October 2025, signaling a strong comeback for the state's economy.

The details

The FASForm facility will be the first of its kind in the United States. It will use a process to 'crack apart' coal and extract valuable molecules that can be turned into various products. Frontieras chose the Mason County location due to its access to the Ohio River and the ability to build the facility from scratch.

  • Frontieras broke ground on the $850 million facility on April 2, 2026.
  • The facility is expected to be completed in the next 2-3 years.

The players

Frontieras North America

An energy technology company that uses innovative processes to extract valuable molecules from coal and convert them into products like diesel, jet fuel, and technical coke.

Patrick Morrisey

The Governor of West Virginia, who cited the Frontieras project as a key part of his plan to grow the state's economy and energy sector.

Matthew McKean

The Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Frontieras, who explained the company's coal-to-products technology.

Eric Tarr

A state senator representing District 4, who expressed excitement about the Frontieras investment and other economic development projects coming to the region.

Shelley Moore Capito

A U.S. Senator from West Virginia, who commended Frontieras' technology for creating new opportunities for the coal industry while reducing waste and driving innovation.

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What they’re saying

“West Virginia's on a real comeback. You're starting to see the plan that I announced in early 2025 start to come together.”

— Patrick Morrisey, Governor of West Virginia

“The easiest way to say it is we take coal and we crack it apart. Inside of coal, we remove the molecules that we can make into diesel, jet fuel, naphtha, even a technical Coke product that can be used in steel manufacturing, or it can be used as a thermal fuel that burns as good as natural gas.”

— Matthew McKean, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Frontieras

“I was talking to them about how opportune the timing is for them to invest in West Virginia, because it is like a gold rush in District 4 anymore for all the investments coming in across a bunch of different industry sectors.”

— Eric Tarr, State Senator, District 4

“Frontieras' technology is creating new opportunities for our coal industry, while reducing waste and driving innovation. Just as important, this project strengthens America's energy security and unleashes American energy dominance by using our own abundant resources to power the future.”

— Shelley Moore Capito, U.S. Senator, West Virginia

“From the very beginning, my partnership with Frontieras has been built on a fundamental truth: coal is the bedrock of West Virginia and the backbone of American energy.”

— Jim Justice, Former Governor of West Virginia

What’s next

Frontieras expects the FASForm facility to be completed within the next 2-3 years. The company plans to begin operations and start producing products like diesel, jet fuel, and technical coke shortly after the facility's completion.

The takeaway

Frontieras' investment in West Virginia represents a significant economic development win for the state, which is working to grow its energy and manufacturing sectors. The innovative coal-to-products technology could help revitalize the state's coal industry while also diversifying its economy and creating new job opportunities.