A novel technology for C3 Chemicals Production from Associated Gas Sources 

Natural gas found in association with oil within an oil reservoir, also called associated gas, has a strong negative impact when released in the atmosphere. It is currently vented, wasted or under-utilized by flaring it or using it for low-value applications. Such current applications include on-site electricity generation, selling it, or reinjecting it for enhanced oil recovery.

High-value applications on the other hand, present a higher return on investment. These include Gas To Liquids applications or using it as feedstock for the innovative technology to produce high value C3-products (e.g. propanal, propanol, propylene or derivatives thereof). Associated gas are not used as much as possible, having an environmental and financial impact. They need to be produced through less energy demanding process and more selective build-up from methane and carbon dioxide. 

This technology is based on a modular process plant allowing a decentralised and localised production unit (~10 kt/y) of high value propanol and/or propanal. These products can be either easily transported for further transformation into propylene or other C3 derivatives at a centralised facility, or directly converted into value-added chemicals on site. 

As an example, one location in the USA has been evaluated, due to the high concentration of flaring in this remote region. 

 Benefits of this technology compared to the state-of-the-art syngas routes, methane pyrolysis to acetylene and to the OCM to ethylene will be the following:

• Higher methane conversion, simplified heat management and improved energy efficiency
• Lower CAPEX compared to current production routes
• Catalyst properties that can be adjusted to operating conditions
• A circular economy approach to minimize by-products
• Reduced GHG emissions in the process.