Fischer Ch Re

PETCOKE & METHANOL—1: Flow scheme envisions producing methanol for gasoline ...

The bitumen upgraders in the Fort McMurray area of Alberta and the refineries in the Edmonton area are large producers of petroleum coke (petcoke), which, historically, has had essentially zero market value in Alberta.

Petcoke, however, can be converted to methanol, which can be used as a gasoline blending component or marketed as chemical-grade material. The conventional method of producing methanol, outside of China, is by steam reforming of natural gas.

This two-part series analyzes the economics of producing 50,000 b/d of methanol for gasoline blending from petcoke and examines some aspects of using methanol-gasoline blends for motor fuel. Corn-based ethanol-gasoline (10 vol % blend) serves as a reference case.

Part 1 presents the production flow scheme we have developed and discusses utilities requirements and basic process parameters. The concluding article (OGJ, July 4, 2011) will present the issues associated with using methanol blended with gasoline as a fuel for cars and light trucks.

Producing syngas

Production of synthesis gas (including that for methanol production) by partial oxidation of solid fuels, including petroleum coke, is not a new concept but is not very frequently practiced. The great majority of methanol plants around the world, outside of China, are based on steam-methane reforming of natural gas. They are often located where natural gas is priced very competitively. By contrast methanol production in North America and Europe has been declining due to poor economics.

The use of methanol as a precursor for performance chemicals such as formaldehyde or acetic acid and derivatives, although significant, nevertheless represents a limited market compared to the potential of using methanol as a gasoline blend. Also significant is the potential use of methanol to make dimethyl ether (DME), which could be used as a substitute for arctic diesel or as an LPG blending component. Conversion of methanol to olefins is also feasible, but lies outside the scope of this study.

The idea of using methanol as a gasoline blend, especially at high concentrations such as M-85 or even pure methanol (M-100), has been around and tested in the US for decades and is currently being practiced in several provinces in China. Nevertheless, the methanol option has faced strong political objections, principally based on its assumed toxicity or on motor vehicle modification issues.

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