Crude, but effective
15 Jan 2000
A modified version of the venerable Fischer-Tropsch process, which converts natural gas into a synthetic version of crude oil, is set to be commercialised by Texaco.
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, first invented in the 1920s, converts syngas (carbon monoxide and hydrogen) into synthetic crude, and is often used as a adjunct to coal gasification in areas with no oil reserves, notably South Africa. However, it is quite expensive, as it uses oxygen and high pressures to generate the syngas, which has tended to limit its use.
The new process, developed by Oklahoma-based firm Syntroleum and dubbed hybrid multiphase technology (HMX), reduces the cost by replacing the oxygen with air. The syngas, diluted with nitrogen, is fed into a fluidised bed reactor containing a cobalt catalyst, at 300-500psig and 190-230 C. The cost of the 'syncrude' produced is 'competitive' with current oil prices, claims Syntroleum.
Texaco and contractor Brown & Root are to build a modular plant to operate the process, capable of producing some 2500 barrels/day of syncrude. It will be barge-mounted, and will be located at one of Texaco's remote gas fields.
