The invention discloses application of a hydrogen-donor solvent and a surfactant in a methanation reaction. An active hydrogen-donor solvent and the surfactant and the surfactant are added into a slurry bed reactor; a methanation catalyst is used for performing a methanation reaction under the effects of the active hydrogen-donor solvent and the surfactant, wherein the amount of added surfactant is 1% to 12.5% of the volume of the hydrogen-donor solvent; the ratio of the catalyst to the hydrogen-donor solvent is (0.002-0.01)g to 1ml; the hydrogen-donor solvent comprises tetrahydronaphthalene, decahydronaphthalene or glycol. The application disclosed by the invention has the advantages of being simple in process, high in reaction rate and suitable for the slurry bed reactor.