Synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons: history, development overview, limitations of application and current challenges

Introduction. This article is devoted to an overview of the market for technologies for the emergence and development of technologies for processing hydrocarbon gases into useful synthetic products.

Aim: based on the analysis of historical experience in the creation and accumulated information on the application of gas chemical gas processing technologies, to formulate development trends, limitations and challenges in the field of application of medium- or small-scale production of chemical products from gas for the conditions of projects for the construction of liquid hydrocarbon synthesis plants in oil and gas (at the source of raw materials).

Materials and methods. Carbon-based chemicals are diverse and widespread on Earth. The origin of hydrocarbon gases and their use is a prime example of the possibility of converting carbon-containing substances from one to another. Gas chemistry processes make it possible to obtain hydrocarbon substances synthetically from carbon and hydrogen atoms. Fischer — Tropsch synthesis is a technology that opened up the possibility of converting raw materials (hydrocarbon gas, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and other organic substances) into synthetic liquid hydrocarbons (fuels, oils, oxygenates, and other chemical products). Based on this technology, many gas chemical plants and installations were built. An analysis of the current technological development of technology in this area has shown that the well-known technologies implemented in largecapacity form have their own limits of applicability and economic profitability.

Results. Research and development in the field of chemical gas processing is a promising area in which the number of discoveries, developments and projects based on them will only grow, and technological processes will improve, and the stages of raw material conversion will decrease.

Conclusion. The technology for the conversion of hydrocarbon gas into synthesis gas with the subsequent conversion of synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons is well developed, tested and commercially implemented in a large-tonnage version. An analysis of the experience of application, development trends in the technology of medium- and small-scale production of synthetic liquid hydrocarbons shows many macroeconomic, technological, operational and logistical factors of uncertainty in their use in local, isolated geographically remote oil and gas fields (at the source of raw materials). In order to increase the efficiency of production, the number of research, development and projects of gas chemistry will only grow, the technological process will only improve, and the stages of processing of raw materials will decrease.

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