Enabling a Small Scale Gas-to-Liquid Process

Minichannel process technology offers process intensification, in the form of enhanced heat and mass transfer, to a wide range of chemical reactions. This paper discusses the application of minichannel technology to the production of ultra-clean synthetic fuels. These fuels, which are one-to-one replacements for petroleum derived fuels, are produced by passing synthesis gas (syngas), a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, over a cobalt or iron catalyst; a process known as Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis for its German inventors. The most efficient path to syngas is the conversion of natural gas via steam methane reforming (SMR). Both the SMR and FT benefit from the process intensification offered by minichannel technology, resulting in smaller, less costly processing hardware; thus, enabling cost effective production of synthetic fuels from smaller facilities, appropriate for stranded and associated gas resources, both on and offshore. The products from FT processes can be upgraded into diesel or synthetic paraffinic kerosene, or simply blended with crude oil for transport to the world market. Leading companies in this field included Chart Industries (USA), CompactGTL (UK), and Velocys, Inc. (USA).