Compactgtl Limited

Accentus Plc

Gtl Microsystems Ag

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Aea Technology Inc.

Ian Frederick Zimmerman

Clive Derek Lee-tuffnell

David Leslie Segal

John William Stairmand

Michael Joseph Bowe

Jason Andrew Maude

David Charles William Blaikley

Clive Derek Lee-Tuffnell

David James West

Robert Peat

Philip Hawker

Linda Jane McCausland

Robert Frew Gillespie

Douglas Eugene Decker

Lawrence Andrew Stryker

Jaswant Singh

Stuart Leigh Jones

Glyn Jeffrey Buckley

Samuel N Oruh

Michiel Coetzee

Ian Kenneth Baxter

Anthony Henry Reading

Steven Brabon

John Vitucci

Vinh N Le

Richard Samuel Mills

Paul Fallows

Stuart A Clark

Alistair L Wright

A plant for treating fluid products obtained from an oil well, to produce a hydrocarbon product, comprises a series of separators at progressively lower pressures, to which the fluid products are supplied in succession. A high pressure gas phase is obtained from the separator and is supplied to a flow restrictor so as to undergo cooling through the Joule Thomson effect, and then passed to a NGL separator to produce a natural gas liquid stream and a gaseous natural gas stream. The natural gas stream is then processed chemically, using a synthesis gas production unit, and a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis unit to produce a synthetic crude oil. The synthetic crude oil is supplied to one of the separators, and the natural gas liquid stream is supplied to another of the separators; the pressure in the one separator is greater than the pressure in the other separator.

Oil well product treatment

Gas-to-liquids processes for treating natural gas, including the steps of subjecting the natural gas to expansion through a flow restrictor so as to undergo cooling through the Joule Thomson effect. The processes then separate the resulting liquids from the remaining natural gas and processing the natural gas to form a synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is subjected to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and the output from the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is separated into a hydrocarbon product and an aqueous phase and the aqueous phase is steam stripped to extract the oxygenates which are then injected into the natural gas stream upstream of the flow restrictor.

Gas-to-liquid technology

A gas-to-liquids process and plant for treating natural gas, in which the natural gas is subjected to expansion through a flow restrictor so as to undergo cooling through the Joule Thomson effect, enables liquids to be separated from the gas stream. The natural gas may be cooled before it reaches the flow restrictor by heat exchange with fluid that has passed through the flow restrictor. This decreases the proportion of longer-chain hydrocarbons in the natural gas, which may simplify subsequent processing, and may enable the size of the plant to be decreased.

Methane reacts with steam generating carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a first catalytic reactor; the resulting gas mixture undergoes Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in a second catalytic reactor. In the steam/methane reforming, the gas mixture passes through a narrow channel having mean and exit temperatures both in the range of 750&#xb0; C. to 900&#xb0; C., residence time less than 0.5 second, and the channel containing a catalyst, so that only reactions having comparatively rapid kinetics will occur. Heat is provided by combustion of methane in adjacent channels. The ratio of steam to methane may be about 1.5. Almost all methane will undergo the reforming reaction, almost entirely forming carbon monoxide. After Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, the remaining hydrogen may be fed back to the combustion channels. The steam for the reforming step may be generated from water generated by the chemical reactions, by condensing products from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and by condensing water vapor generated in combustion.

Apparatus for steam-methane reforming

A reactor module for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis having a generally rectangular reactor block with a stack of plates defining flow channels for coolant and flow channels for the synthesis reaction arranged alternately in the block. The synthesis flow channels extend in a generally vertical direction between upper and lower faces of the reactor block and are defined by plates in combination with either bars or sheets such that each channel is of width no more than 200 mm. The coolant flow channels are oriented in the same direction, and communicate through distributor chambers with inlet and outlet ports at side faces of the reactor block. A plant may contain a multiplicity of such reactor modules operating in parallel, the modules being interchangeable and replaceable. The temperature control is enhanced by allowing the coolant flow to be parallel to the synthesis gas flow.

Catalytic reactor

A compact catalytic reactor defines a multiplicity of first and second flow channels arranged alternately, for an endothermic reaction and for an exothermic reaction respectively, and each containing a removable fluid-permeable catalytic insert to catalyze the reaction. The flow channels have a straight portion extending from one end face of the reactor and a linking portion that communicates between the end of the straight portion and at least one side face of the reactor, wherein the straight portion and the linking portion are defined at least in part by fin structures. The fm structures of the linking portion may be perforated, so that there are perforations aligned with each straight portion, but at the end of the reactor each line of perforations is obstructed. Removal of the obstructions enables the catalytic inserts to be pushed out of the flow channels when they are spent.

A compact catalytic reactor () comprises a channel for a rapid reaction having an inlet () for a gas mixture to undergo the reaction. The channel is provided with two different catalyst structures (), a first catalyst structure () in the vicinity of the inlet () and a second catalyst structure () further from the inlet, such that a gas mixture supplied to the inlet flows past them both. The first catalyst structure () has little catalytic activity for the rapid reaction, whereas the second catalyst structure () has catalytic activity for the rapid reaction. This is applicable to combustion of gas mixtures containing hydrogen, for which the first catalyst structure () may comprise uncoated oxidized aluminum-containing ferritic steel, while the second catalyst structure () may incorporate Pt and/or Pd in an alumina support. Exhaust gases may also be recycled to the inlet () to inhibit combustion.

Catalyst structure for a rapid reaction

A compact catalytic reactor defines a multiplicity of first and second flow channels arranged alternately in the reactor, for carrying first and second fluids, respectively, wherein at least the first fluids undergo a chemical reaction. Each first flow channel containing a removable gas-permeable catalyst structure () incorporating a metal substrate, the catalyst structure defining flow paths therethrough, with catalytic material on at least some surfaces of each such path. The catalyst structure also incorporates a multiplicity of projecting resilient lugs () which support the catalyst structure () spaced away from at least one adjacent wall of the channel ().

Catalytic reactors

A catalytic reactor () comprises a plurality of sheets () defining flow channels () between them. Within each flow channel () is a foil () of corrugated material whose surfaces are coated with catalytic material apart from where they contact the sheets (). At each end of the reactor () are headers to supply gas mixtures to the flow channels (), the headers communicating with adjacent channels being separate. The reactor () enables different gas mixtures to be supplied to adjacent channels (), which may be at different pressures, and the corresponding chemical reactions are also different. Where one of the reactions is endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, heat is transferred through the sheets () separating the adjacent channels (), from the exothermic reaction to the endothermic reaction. The reactor () may be used in a compact plant to perform steam/methane reforming, obtaining the necessary heat by catalytic methane combustion, and also for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, so that the overall process involves conversion of methane to long-chain hydrocarbons.

Methane is reacted with steam, to generate carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a first catalytic reactor (); the resulting gas mixture can then be used to perform Fisher-Tropsch synthesis in a second catalytic reactor (). In performing the steam/methane reforming, the gas mixture is passed through a narrow channel in which the mean temperature and exit temperature are both in the range 750&#xb0; C. to 900&#xb0; C. the residence time being less than 0.5 second, and the channel containing a catalyst, so that only those reactions that have comparatively rapid kinetics will occur. The heat is provided by combustion of methane in adjacent channels (). The ratio of steam to methane should preferably be 1.4 to 1.6, for example about 1.5. Almost all the methane will undergo the reforming reaction, almost entirely forming carbon monoxide. After performing Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, the remaining hydrogen is preferably fed back () to the combustion channels (). The steam for the reforming step is preferably generated from water generated by the chemical reactions, by condensing () the products from the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and by condensing () water vapour generated in the combustion.

Process an apparatus for steam-methane reforming

A catalyst support is made by coating a metal substrate with a solution containing a precursor for a ceramic and an amphiphilic compound, and treating the coating such that it forms a micelle structure. The coating is then treated to form a mesoporous ceramic coating on the metal substrate. The micelle structure acts as a template, so that the pores are of regular size. The active catalytic material can then be deposited in the pores. The metal substrate may for example be a corrugated foil, which can enable reaction heat to be dissipated from hot spots.

Methods of making and using a catalyst

A compact catalytic reactor defines a multiplicity of first and second flow channels arranged alternately, the first flow channels being no more than 10 mm deep and providing flow paths for combustible reactants, and containing a catalyst structure () to catalyze combustion of the reactants, and having at least one inlet for at least one of the reactants. The first flow channel also includes an insert (or) adjacent to each inlet, this insert not being catalytic to the combustion reaction; the insert may define gaps which are narrower than the maximum gap size for preventing flame propagation.

A compact catalytic reactor for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis () comprises a reactor module () defining a multiplicity of first and second flow channels arranged alternately, for carrying a gas mixture, and a coolant respectively. A removable gas-permeable catalyst structure () with a substrate for example of metal foil is provided in each flow channel in which the synthesis reaction is to occur. The reactor module () is enclosed within a pressure vessel (), the pressure within the pressure vessel being arranged to be at a pressure substantially that of the high pressure reacting gas mixture. Consequently all the flow channels within the module are either at the pressure of their surroundings, or are under compression; no parts are under tension. This simplifies the design of the module, and increases the proportion of reactor volume which can be occupied by the catalyst.

A catalytic reactor comprises a plurality of fluid-impermeable plates defining side-by-side flow channels between them. Tight fitting within each flow channel is a sheet of corrugated material whose surfaces are coated with catalytic material. At each end of the flow channels there may be headers for supply gas mixtures to the flow channels, the headers communicating with adjacent channels being separate. The reactor enables different gas mixtures to be supplied to adjacent channels, which may be at different pressures, and the corresponding chemical reactions are also different. Where one of the reactions is endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, heat is transferred through the wall of the tube separating the adjacent channels, from the exothermic reaction to the endothermic reaction. The provision of side=by-side flow channels provides for structural strength and for enhanced heat transfer.

A method for causing chemical reactions between fluids, comprising the steps of arranging a plurality of metal sheets for providing first fluid flow channels adjacent to and in heat transfer contact with second fluid flow channels between adjacent ones of the metal sheets, placing catalyst material within at least some of the flow channels, passing a first fluid mixture through the first fluid flow channels and a second fluid mixture through the second fluid flow channels, wherein the first fluid mixture is different from the second fluid mixture, each fluid mixture undergoing separate reactions, one of the reactions being endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, and causing heat to transfer between the adjacent fluid flow channels.

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Preston, United Kingdom

Michael Joseph Bowe