New Potentialities for Utilization of Associated Petroleum Gases in Power Generation and Chemicals Production

Abstract

New possibilities for the utilization of associated petroleum gases (APG) and monetization of small-scale and remote Natural Gas resources by power generation and chemicals production are considered and tested. One possibility is the oxycracking of APG. This technology allows selective transformation of heavier hydrocarbons that have low octane (methane) numbers and inclined to soot and tar formation, into lighter compounds with higher octane numbers, thus producing gas suitable to feed different types of power engines. Another possibility is the small-scale conversion of APG to syngas to produce more easily transportable and more valuable chemicals or liquid fuels via well-known Fischer-Tropsch process or catalytic synthesis of methanol. For this purpose we have suggested principally new technology for natural gases conversion into syngas, based on the use of 3D (volumetric) matrixes. It allows the relative simple and very compact non-catalytic reformers to be designed for small-scale gas-to liquid (GTL) technologies. Their main advantages are autothermal character of the process without any need in additional heating or power supply, absence of catalyst that allows processing hydrocarbon gases of practically any composition, including APG, without additional pretreatment, very high specific volume capacity, at any rate 10 times higher than that of steam reforming, and simplicity in construction and operation.

Combined Synthesis and Hydroprocessing of Hydrocarbons over Co/SiO2 + ZSM-5 + Al2O3 Catalysts Promoted by Nickel

“…Of late, it has become increasingly relevant to search for alternative methods for producing engine fuels from non-petroleum raw materials. One such method is the GTL (gas-to-liquid) technology, which involves processing natural gas or associated petroleum gas into synthetic liquid fuels (SLF) [1,2]. The key GTL process step, namely the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis, is a complex catalytic process that produces a wide range of hydrocarbons (HCs) from a CO/H 2 mixture referred to as syngas.…”

Application of Machine Learning to Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis for Cobalt Catalysts

“…One of the areas of rational use of APG is the development of catalytic technology with low capital costs for efficient processing into transportable components of natural gas and commercial oil . This approach assumes conversion of part of the associated petroleum gas to produce hydrogen and synthesis gas, followed by conversion in the Fischer–Tropsch (FT) process …”

“…One of the areas of rational use of APG is the development of catalytic technology with low capital costs for efficient processing into transportable components of natural gas and commercial oil. 9 This approach assumes conversion of part of the associated petroleum gas to produce hydrogen and synthesis gas, followed by conversion in the Fischer−Tropsch (FT) process. 10 On the one hand, the approach to associated petroleum gas conversion based on the FT process has been known for quite a long time; on the other hand, until now, the applied technologies are characterized by high capital and operating costs, 11 not high enough technological efficiency, 12 insufficient safety level, 13 environmental problems 14 (environmental pollution by hydrocarbons, greenhouse gas emissions�CO 2 , CH 4 ), and decrease in obtaining valuable products with high added value.…”

Utilization of Waste Hydrocarbon Gases

“…The main problem on the way to a more complete utilization of limited sources of hydrocarbon gases of both anthropogenic and natural origin is the lack of cost-effective low-scale technologies for their processing. A number of our previous works were devoted to the prospects of developing such technologies [10,11]. Nevertheless, the problem still remains acute and requires constant attention.…”