To produce a zero-sulfur, pumpable syncrude from remote gas fields or from associated gas. The process can operate on a range of natural gas feedstocks including fields containing high carbon dioxide levels. The process is suited for remote or offshore locations where space and weight are of particular concern.
Natural gas is pre-treated to remove sulfur using conventional desulfurization technology (1). Steam and recycle gases are added and the feed is further heated before passing to the CRG prereformer (2). Using a nickel catalyst, the CRG prereformer converts heavier hydrocarbons to methane and partially reforms the feedstock. Addition of steam and further preheating is completed before the mixed gas passes to the compact reformer (3).
The Davy/BP compact reformer is a multi-tubular, counter-current reactor, which, in the presence of a nickel catalyst, produces a mixture of carbon oxides and hydrogen. Heat for this endothermic reaction is provided by external firing of excess hydrogen produced by the process with supplementary natural gas as required. Gas leaving the reformer is cooled (4) and generates sufficient steam to satisfy process heating requirements. Excess condensate then is removed.
Dry syngas is compressed in a single-stage centrifugal compressor (5) and passes to a membrane-separation package (6) where the surplus hydrogen is recovered and reused as fuel. The non-permeate product from the membrane separation is fed to the conversion section (7) where the syngas is converted into a mixed paraffin and wax product using a cobalt catalyst. The reaction system can either be a fixed bed or slurry type depending on unit size and project needs. Unconverted syngas is recycled to the compact reformer feed.
The wax products from the conversion section can be hydrocracked to produce a pumpable syncrude using conventional hydrocracking technology (8). Operating conditions: A wide range of reformer operating conditions are possible to optimize the process efficiency.
Licensor: Davy Process Technology
