THREE MORE GTL PILOT PLANTS ON THE WAY

Conoco has announced plans to build a $75-million demonstration plant in Ponca City, Oklahoma, to commercialize the company’s Gas-To-Liquids (GTL) technology.

A team of 80 scientists and engineers, who have been researching gas-conversion technologies since 1997, has designed, manufactured, and tested various reactor configurations and more than 4,500 catalysts.

Slated for completion in September 2002, the demonstration plant will convert gas into 400 barrels per day of sulfur-free diesel, jet fuel and other products. After proving its GTL technology, the demonstration plant will test other new gas-conversion and petrochemical technologies. Conoco expects to begin construction of its first commercial GTL plant by 2004.

JNOC is planning to build a plant in Hokkaido, Japan, in fiscal 2001 to test GTL technologies used to make kerosene and other petroleum products from natural gas. The plant will produce 5 barrels per day of kerosene and light oil from local natural gas.

Synfuels International (Synfuels), located in Dallas, Texas, has built a pilot plant in Robertson County, Texas. Chemical engineers at Texas A&M University, located in College Station, Texas, developed the Synfuels technology designed to convert natural gas into hydrocarbon liquids.

The pilot plant has a capacity of 100,000 standard cubic feet per day of natural gas and is designed to produce 10 to 12 barrels per day of hydrocarbon liquids. The Synfuels process can produce liquid products ranging from light naphtha through diesel fuel. The pilot plant has been designed specifically to produce light naphtha that is suitable for transportation fuel.