A method for producing methane from biomass comprising the steps of: a) hydropyrolyzing biomass in a hydropyrolysis reactor vessel containing molecular hydrogen and a deoxygenating catalyst at a hydropyrolysis temperature greater than about 537,8 °C (1000°F) and a hydropyrolysis pressure in a range of 6.90 bar (100 psig) to 41.4 bar (600 psig), producing a hydropyrolysis product comprising char and vapors; b) separating said char from said hydropyrolysis product, producing a reduced char hydropyrolysis product; c) hydroconverting said reduced char hydropyrolysis product in a hydroconversion reactor vessel using a hydroconversion catalyst at a hydroconversion temperature greater than about 427 °C (800°F) and a hydroconversion pressure in a range of 6.90 bar (100 psig) to 41.4 bar (600 psig), producing a hydroconversion product; d) cooling and introducing said hydroconversion product into a water-gas shift reactor , producing a water-gas shift product comprising condensed liquid water and a gaseous mixture, said gaseous mixture comprising CO 2 , H 2 , and methane; and e) separating said CO 2 , H 2 , and methane from said gaseous mixture, producing a CO 2 stream, an H 2 stream, and a methane product stream f) wherein at least a first portion of said methane product stream is introduced into a steam reformer in which said methane is reformed, producing reformer CO 2 and reformer H 2 , and g) wherein at least a first portion of said reformer H 2 is introduced as a feed into a methanation vessel along with a second portion of said methane product stream, reacting with any remaining CO and/or CO 2 in the said second portion of said methane product stream and forming additional methane. a) hydropyrolyzing biomass in a hydropyrolysis reactor vessel containing molecular hydrogen and a deoxygenating catalyst at a hydropyrolysis temperature greater than about 537,8 °C (1000°F) and a hydropyrolysis pressure in a range of 6.90 bar (100 psig) to 41.4 bar (600 psig), producing a hydropyrolysis product comprising char and vapors; b) separating said char from said hydropyrolysis product, producing a reduced char hydropyrolysis product; c) hydroconverting said reduced char hydropyrolysis product in a hydroconversion reactor vessel using a hydroconversion catalyst at a hydroconversion temperature greater than about 427 °C (800°F) and a hydroconversion pressure in a range of 6.90 bar (100 psig) to 41.4 bar (600 psig), producing a hydroconversion product; d) cooling and introducing said hydroconversion product into a water-gas shift reactor , producing a water-gas shift product comprising condensed liquid water and a gaseous mixture, said gaseous mixture comprising CO 2 , H 2 , and methane; and e) separating said CO 2 , H 2 , and methane from said gaseous mixture, producing a CO 2 stream, an H 2 stream, and a methane product stream f) wherein at least a first portion of said methane product stream is introduced into a steam reformer in which said methane is reformed, producing reformer CO 2 and reformer H 2 , and g) wherein at least a first portion of said reformer H 2 is introduced as a feed into a methanation vessel along with a second portion of said methane product stream, reacting with any remaining CO and/or CO 2 in the said second portion of said methane product stream and forming additional methane. <EOS>