CHEM SYSTEMS SEES GOOD POTENTIAL FOR FISCHER-TROPSCH LIQUIDS

"Stranded Gas Utilization II: Production of High Value Specialty Chemicals and Basestocks" is a new Chem Systems study which provides an in-depth analysis for converting large, remote natural gas reserves to high-value specialty products via Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis.

A previously issued Chem Systems study on remote gas reserves: "Stranded Gas Utilization: Methane Refineries of the Future," provides an in-depth analysis of the use of gas from remote reserves to produce synthetic fuels and commodity chemicals such as olefins, ammonia and methanol. The processes evaluated in that study included those based on F-T synthesis. Although most emphasis has generally been placed on the role of the F-T process as a means of producing liquid fuels from coal or natural gas, the ability of the process to produce high-value specialty products is an important commercial factor in the selection of the technology. These long-chain waxy paraffins can be sold as they are or can be hydrocracked to yield desired products in the middle distillate range. High-value products available from F-T conversion of natural gas include:

The increased interest in the production of synthetic fuels from low-cost, remote gas reserves has spurred interest in the production of these high-value products in the same facility. With recent improvements in F-T technology, the ability to produce these products and the potential global market for them is an important consideration along with the ability to produce fuel-grade liquids.

The new Chem Systems’ study provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the various end-uses, manufacturing processes, and economics for converting large, remote natural gas reserves to high-value specialty products via F-T synthesis.

The study analyzes the current and emerging state-of-the-art technologies for converting stranded natural gas to the following products:

Lube Oils: The C23+ fraction can be used as a basestock in synthetic lubricants. Increasingly higher standards for lubricants, especially motor oils, have expanded the demand for high performance lubricant oil basestocks.

Drilling Fluids: Synthetic drilling fluids (the C17-C22 fraction from the plant) are starting to replace the conventional water and diesel-based materials in petroleum exploration and development well drilling. The drilling fluid business is undergoing a period of transition away from traditional water-based and oil-based "muds" to a much more complex formulation and chemistry. Synthetic drilling fluid base materials sell at relatively high prices and represent an attractive market opportunity.

Alpha-Olefins: Alpha-olefins are basic petrochemical building blocks with a wide range of end-uses, which can be used in production of polymers, detergents, lubricants, plasticizers and others. The product stream from F-T synthesis contains a wide range of alpha-olefins of all carbon numbers (odd and even) which can be separated for the various end-uses.

n-Paraffins: Normal paraffin (the C10-C16 fraction from the plant) is an ideal feedstock for Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) production. Normal paraffins are conventionally produced by either extraction of normal paraffins from a paraffinic-based kerosene stock, or by polymerization of ethylene. These are relatively expensive processes, although they start from low-priced feedstocks, i.e., kerosene and ethylene. The LAB is then used to produce linear alkyl sulfonate, a major surfactant in the detergent industry.


Return to Synthetic Fuels Report 8-2 table of contents
Return to J.E. Sinor Consultants homepage