Twitter headlinesGas-to-Liquids (GTL)
[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Linc Energy Chinchilla UCG to Liquids Demo Plant Producing High-Quality Synthetic Hydrocarbons
June 29, 2009
| The Chinchilla Demonstration Facility combines UCG and GTL technologies Click to enlarge. |
During the first half of 2009, the Linc Energy Limited Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) to Liquids demonstration plant at Chinchilla (earlier post) ran four major production campaigns each of which has seen further improvements in plant performance, according to the company. The May campaign has been the most successful operation to date, producing high-quality synthetic hydrocarbon products over the entire operating period. The demonstration plant has now operated over extended periods with the anticipated levels of reliability.
The first liquids were produced in October 2008, with improvements in operations over the past few months. Linc Energy says it can now use this abundant and relatively cheap gas to make synthetic liquid hydrocarbons (with a focus on diesel).
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Velocys Awarded Commercialization Grant for Microchannel Reactor Technology for Hydroprocessing to Upgrade Fischer-Tropsch Fuels and Heavy Petroleum Feedstock
May 28, 2009
A collaboration led by Velocys, Inc., the US subsidiary of UK-based Oxford Catalysts Group PLC, has been awarded a $5-million, 2.5-year commercialization grant to apply Velocys’ microchannel reactor technology to hydroprocessing for transportation fuels. (Earlier post.)
The project focuses on hydrocracking to upgrade Fischer-Tropsch fuels and heavy petroleum feedstock for jet and diesel fuel. Additional hydroprocessing application opportunities include the processing of edible oils, specialty and fine chemicals, and conversion of natural oils and fats to transportation fuels.
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Japan-GTL Consortium Completes Construction of Demo Plant for New Gas-to-Liquids Process
April 17, 2009
| The Japan-GTL demonstration plant. Click to enlarge. |
The Japan-GTL consortium, formed in 2006 to commercialize a lower-cost gas-to-liquids GTL) process for the production of synthetic fuels and chemicals that does not require first removing carbon dioxide from the feedstock, has completed construction of its demonstration plant which will produce 500 barrels (about 80 kiloliters) per day. (Earlier post.) The opening ceremony took place on 16 April.
The Japan-GTL group includes oil developers Japan Petroleum Exploration (JAPEX) and INPEX Corp; refiners Nippon Oil and Cosmo Oil; engineering firms Chiyoda and Nippon Steel Engineering; and Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp (JOGMEC), a state-run energy researcher.
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NASA and Partners Testing Coal and Gas F-T Synthetic Jet Fuels at 100% and 50% Blend
February 02, 2009
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| Sampling tubing and instrumentation control cables laid out on the pavement beside NASA’s DC-8 flying laboratory in between synthetic fuels emission and engine performance tests at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif. Credit: Tom Tschida, NASA. Click to enlarge. |
The National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) and 11 other research groups, including researchers from the US Department of Defense (DoD), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are testing two synthetic jet fuels derived from gasified coal and natural gas using the Fischer-Tropsch process (Jet CTL and GTL).
The tests for the Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment (AAFEX) are being run through 3 Feb at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in California, and are measuring the performance and emissions of the two fuels.
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Oxford Catalysts Acquires Velocys; Focus on Accelerating Commercialization of Small-Scale Synthetic Fuel Systems
November 03, 2008
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| The Oxford Catalysts-Velosys combination will target cost-effective small-scale synthetic fuels production. Click to enlarge. |
UK-based Oxford Catalysts Group PLC has acquired Velocys, Inc. from Battelle Memorial Institute for $35 million, $5 million of which is in cash. Velocys is a leader in the design and development of microchannel process technology for the production of synthetic fuels and commodity chemicals, with more than $160 million invested in its technology to date, primarily by industrial partners including Dow Chemical, Toyo Engineering and MODEC. (Earlier post.)
Oxford Catalysts (OC) has a platform catalyst technology that provides the increased activity required to unlock the benefits of such microchannel reactors. The companies have been collaborating since May 2007; in more than 3,500 hours of pilot testing, Velocys found that the OC Fischer-Tropsch catalysts were 15 times more productive than conventional fixed bed catalysts. Together, the catalyst and microchannel reactor technologies are capable of producing next-generation synthetic fuels more economically at smaller scales than possible with conventional systems, using feedstock sources including captured flare gas, gas that is currently reinjected, stranded gas reserves and biomass.
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New Life-Cycle Analysis Concludes Neither GTL or CTL a “Reasonable Path” for Energy Security With Reduced GHG Emissions
September 20, 2008
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| High- and low-GHG emissions scenario for FT fuels. Click to enlarge. |
A new life-cycle study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) concludes that the use of either coal- (CTL) or natural gas-based (GTL) Fischer-Tropsch (FT) liquids will likely lead to significant increases in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to petroleum-based fuels. In a best-case scenario, coal- or natural gas-based FT liquids have emissions only comparable to petroleum-based fuels.
In addition, the economic picture for either FT fuel is uncertain. There is a narrow range of petroleum and natural gas prices at which GTL fuels would be competitive with petroleum-based fuels, according to the study. Although CTL fuels are generally cheaper than petroleum-based fuels, recent reports cited by the study suggest there is uncertainty about the availability of economically viable coal resources in the United States. The CMU study was published 19 September in the online edition of the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
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Franklin Mining and Synfuels International Sign Agreement for Non-FT Gas-to-Liquids Plant in Argentina
July 11, 2008
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| The four main steps of the Synfuels GTL process. This flow assumes a methane cracking method that also yields a commercially worthwhile syngas stream. Click to enlarge. Source: Synfuels International. |
Franklin Mining, Inc. and Synfuels International, Inc. signed a letter of agreement addressing the environment and steps to be taken prior to finalizing the design of a Phase I gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant to be constructed in the Province of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
Synfuels International, Inc. holds exclusive licensing rights for a non-Fischer-Tropsch gas-to-liquids technology developed at Texas A&M University: ECLAIRS (Ethylene from Concentrated Liquid-phase Acetylene - Integrated, Rapid and Safe). The key differentiating aspect of the process is the liquid-phase conversion of acetylene to ethylene. A demonstration plant built by Synfuels International has proven to operate efficiently and economically in the production of 95-octane gasoline fuel, according to the company.
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Oxford Catalysts in Agreement for Small-Scale Fischer-Tropsch Applications
July 08, 2008
Oxford Catalysts Group PLC, a developer of novel catalyst technology (earlier post), has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a specialist technology developer for the deployment of Oxford’s proprietary catalysts in small scale Fischer-Tropsch (FT) applications, such as the conversion of bio-waste or flare gas into synthetic liquid fuels—a potential global market of more than 4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day.
FT catalysts are used in the process of converting natural gas, coal or biomass into clean-burning liquid fuels, such as sulfur-free diesel (GTL, CTL and BTL processes respectively). However, conventional FT technologies have been unable to scale down cost-effectively to date.
