Petrobras approves "world's first" modular small scale GTL facility
20 Jan 2012
London – Petrobras has qualified and approved CompactGTL’s modular gas-to-liquid (GTL) technology following trials at its CENPES Research and Development Centre.
The CompactGTL solution offers an alternative to gas flaring and the plant incorporates all aspects required for commercial application in treating associated gas at remote onshore and offshore oilfield locations.
Target applications include gas pre-treatment, pre-reforming, reforming, waste heat recovery, process steam generation, syngas compression.
CompactGTL also see opportunities in Fischer Tropsch synthesis, FT cooling water system and tail gas re-cycling, which can be integrated to a host facility or operated as a stand alone operation.
The proprietary mini-channel SMR and FT reactors, operating in conjunction with new catalysts coated on metal substrates (combustion, reforming and FT) demonstrate a compact, low centre of gravity GTL process for the first time.
“The [Petrobras] test programme has produced some extremely positive results and has shown the plant can be robust, with the operational availability expected of large scale commercial facilities,” said Nicholas Gay, chief executive of CompactGTL.
“We can now progress our plans in conjunction with clients throughout the world to develop commercial scale modular gas to liquid plants,” added Gay.
CompactGTL is backed by funds advised by Coller Capital, a global private equity investor, whose chief investment officer Jeremy Coller, commented: “With this approval from Petrobras the company has passed a critical milestone, demonstrating its leadership in an area with the potential to be a game-changer for oil and gas exploration.”
