Abstract: A process for producing a methane-containing gas mixture includes the steps of: (i) passing a first feed gas mixture including hydrogen and carbon dioxide through a bed of methanation catalyst to react a portion of the hydrogen with at least a portion of the carbon dioxide and form a methane-containing gas mixture containing residual hydrogen, (ii) adding an oxygen-containing gas to the methane-containing gas mixture containing residual hydrogen to form a second feed gas mixture, and (iii) passing the second feed gas mixture through a bed of an oxidation catalyst to react the residual hydrogen and oxygen to form a hydrogen depleted methane-containing gas mixture.

Abstract: A process for producing a methane-containing gas mixture includes the steps of: (i) passing a first feed gas mixture including hydrogen and carbon dioxide through a bed of methanation catalyst to react a portion of the hydrogen with at least a portion of the carbon dioxide and form a methane-containing gas mixture containing residual hydrogen, (ii) adding an oxygen-containing gas to the methane-containing gas mixture containing residual hydrogen to form a second feed gas mixture, and (iii) passing the second feed gas mixture through a bed of an oxidation catalyst to react the residual hydrogen and oxygen to form a hydrogen depleted methane-containing gas mixture.

Abstract: A process for the conversion of a hydrocarbon to CO2 and electrical power is described which includes subjecting a gas mixture of a hydrocarbon feed stream and steam to an integrated reforming process including stages of steam reforming in a gas-heated reformer and secondary reforming to generate a reformed gas mixture, increasing the hydrogen content of the reformed gas mixture by subjecting it to one or more water-gas-shift stages, cooling the resulting hydrogen-enriched reformed gas and separating condensed water therefrom, passing the resulting de-watered hydrogen-enriched reformed gas to one or more stages of carbon dioxide separation to recover carbon dioxide, combusting the remaining hydrogen-containing fuel stream with an oxygen containing gas in a gas turbine to generate electrical power and passing the exhaust gas mixture from the gas turbine to a heat recovery steam generation system that feeds one or more steam turbines to generate additional electrical power.

Abstract: Process for increasing the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas containing one or more sulphur compounds, the synthesis gas including hydrogen, carbon oxides and steam, and having a ratio defined as R?(H2—C02)/(CO+C02)?0.6 and a steam to carbon monoxide ratio ?1.8, includes the steps of (i) adjusting the temperature of the synthesis gas; (ii) passing at least a portion of the heated synthesis gas adiabatically through a first bed of sulphur-tolerant water-gas shift catalyst disposed in a first shift vessel at a space velocity ?12,500 hour?1 to form a pre-shifted gas stream; and (iii) forming a shifted gas stream by subjecting at least a portion of the pre-shifted gas stream to a second stage of water-gas shift in a second shift vessel containing a second bed of sulphur-tolerant water-gas shift catalyst that is cooled in heat exchange with a gas stream including the synthesis gas.

Abstract: A process for increasing the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas containing one or more sulphur compounds, the synthesis gas including hydrogen, carbon oxides and steam, and having a ratio, R, defined as R=(H2?CO2)/(CO+CO2)?0.6 and a steam to carbon monoxide ratio ?1.8, includes the steps of (i) adjusting the synthesis gas temperature, (ii) passing the temperature-adjusted synthesis gas through an adiabatic pre-shift vessel containing a bed of sulphur-tolerant water-gas shift catalyst at a space velocity ?12,500 hour?1 to form a pre-shifted gas stream, and (iii) subjecting at least a portion of the pre-shifted gas stream to one or more further stages of water-gas shift.

Abstract: Process for increasing the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas containing one or more sulphur compounds, the synthesis gas including hydrogen, carbon oxides and steam, and having a ratio defined as R=(H2?CO2)/(CO+CO2)?0.6 and a steam to carbon monoxide ratio ?1.8, including the steps of (i) heating the synthesis gas; (iii) subjecting at least a portion of the heated synthesis gas to a first stage of water-gas shift in a first shift vessel containing a first sulphur-tolerant water-gas shift catalyst that is cooled in heat exchange with boiling water, to form a pre-shifted gas stream; and (iii) forming a shifted gas stream by subjecting at least a portion of the pre-shifted gas stream to a second stage of water-gas shift in a second shift vessel containing a second sulphur-tolerant water-gas shift catalyst that is cooled in heat exchange with a gas stream including the synthesis gas.

Abstract: Process for synthesizing hydrocarbons includes: reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock containing inert gases in reforming stages to generate a synthesis gas including the inert gases, steam, hydrogen and carbon monoxide; cooling the synthesis gas below the dew point to obtain a dewatered synthesis gas; synthesizing hydrocarbons from the dewatered synthesis gas by the Fischer-Tropsch reaction and separating at least part of the synthesized hydrocarbons, to give a tail gas; subjecting a mixture of at least part of the tail gas and steam to the water-gas shift reaction, to form shifted tail gas having increased hydrogen and carbon dioxide contents; subjecting the shifted tail gas to one or more membrane separation stages thereby generating an inert gas-containing gas mixture and one or more of a hydrogen-, carbon dioxide- and a hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture; and using one or more of the hydrogen-, carbon dioxide- and hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture in a reformer feed stream.

Abstract: A process for reducing the thiophene content in a synthesis gas mixture, comprises the steps of (i) passing a synthesis gas mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon oxides and containing thiophene over a copper-containing sorbent disposed in a sorbent vessel at an inlet temperature in the range 200-280° C., (ii) withdrawing a thiophene depleted synthesis gas containing methanol from the sorbent vessel, and (iii) adjusting the temperature of the methanol-containing thiophene-depleted synthesis gas mixture. The resulting gas mixture may be used for production of chemicals, e.g. methanol production or for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons, for hydrogen production by using water gas shift, or for the production of synthetic natural gas.

Abstract: Process for synthesizing hydrocarbons includes: reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock containing inert gases in reforming stages to generate a synthesis gas including the inert gases, steam, hydrogen and carbon monoxide; cooling the synthesis gas below the dew point to obtain a dewatered synthesis gas; synthesizing hydrocarbons from the dewatered synthesis gas by the Fischer-Tropsch reaction and separating at least part of the synthesized hydrocarbons, to give a tail gas; subjecting a mixture of at least part of the tail gas and steam to the water-gas shift reaction, to form shifted tail gas having increased hydrogen and carbon dioxide contents; subjecting the shifted tail gas to one or more membrane separation stages thereby generating an inert gas-containing gas mixture and one or more of a hydrogen-, carbon dioxide- and a hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture; and using one or more of the hydrogen-, carbon dioxide- and hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture in a reformer feed stream.

Abstract: A process for increasing the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas containing one or more sulphur compounds, the synthesis gas including hydrogen, carbon oxides and steam, and having a ratio, R, defined as R=(H2?CO2)/(CO+CO2)?0.6 and a steam to carbon monoxide ratio ?1.8, includes the steps of (i) adjusting the synthesis gas temperature, (ii) passing the temperature-adjusted synthesis gas through an adiabatic pre-shift vessel containing a bed of sulphur-tolerant water-gas shift catalyst at a space velocity ?12,500 hour?1 to form a pre-shifted gas stream, and (iii) subjecting at least a portion of the pre-shifted gas stream to one or more further stages of water-gas shift.

Abstract: Process for increasing the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas containing one or more sulphur compounds, the synthesis gas including hydrogen, carbon oxides and steam, and having a ratio defined as R?(H2—C02)/(CO+C02)?0.6 and a steam to carbon monoxide ratio ?1.8, includes the steps of (i) adjusting the temperature of the synthesis gas; (ii) passing at least a portion of the heated synthesis gas adiabatically through a first bed of sulphur-tolerant water-gas shift catalyst disposed in a first shift vessel at a space velocity ?12,500 hour?1 to form a pre-shifted gas stream; and (iii) forming a shifted gas stream by subjecting at least a portion of the pre-shifted gas stream to a second stage of water-gas shift in a second shift vessel containing a second bed of sulphur-tolerant water-gas shift catalyst that is cooled in heat exchange with a gas stream including the synthesis gas.

Abstract: Process for increasing the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas containing one or more sulphur compounds, the synthesis gas including hydrogen, carbon oxides and steam, and having a ratio defined as R?(H2—CO2)/(CO+CO2)?0.6 and a steam to carbon monoxide ratio ?1.8, including the steps of (i) heating the synthesis gas; (iii) subjecting at least a portion of the heated synthesis gas to a first stage of water-gas shift in a first shift vessel containing a first sulphur-tolerant water-gas shift catalyst that is cooled in heat exchange with boiling water, to form a pre-shifted gas stream; and (iii) forming a shifted gas stream by subjecting at least a portion of the pre-shifted gas stream to a second stage of water-gas shift in a second shift vessel containing a second sulphur-tolerant water-gas shift catalyst that is cooled in heat exchange with a gas stream including the synthesis gas.

Abstract: A catalyst precursor for preparing a catalyst suitable for use in a sour water-gas shift process is described, including; 5 to 30% by weight of a catalytically active metal oxide selected from tungsten oxide and molybdenum oxide; 1 to 10% by weight of a promoter metal oxide selected from cobalt oxide and nickel oxide; and 1 to 15% by weight of an oxide of an alkali metal selected from sodium, potassium and caesium; supported on a titania catalyst support.

Abstract: A process for passivation of surfaces of heat exchange apparatus exposed to a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide, includes the steps of: (i) adding arsine to the synthesis gas to provide a total As concentration in the synthesis gas in range 0.001 to 10 ppmv, (ii) exposing the mixture of hot synthesis gas and arsine to the shell-side surfaces of said heat exchange apparatus to reduce the interaction between the carbon monoxide present in said gas and metals in said surfaces, (iii) recovering a cooled synthesis gas from the shell-side of said apparatus, and (iv) passing the cooled synthesis gas, optionally after further cooling, through a sorbent bed to remove arsenic compounds from the synthesis gas.

Abstract: A process for increasing the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas containing one or more sulphur compounds is described, comprising the steps of (i) heating the synthesis gas and (ii) passing at least part of the heated synthesis gas and steam through a reactor containing a sour shift catalyst, wherein the synthesis gas is heated by passing it through a plurality of tubes disposed within said catalyst in a direction co-current to the flow of said synthesis gas through the catalyst. The resulting synthesis gas may be passed to one or more additional reactors containing sour shift catalyst to maximize the yield of hydrogen production, or used for methanol production, for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons or for the production of synthetic natural gas.

Abstract: A process is described for reducing the thiophene content in a synthesis gas mixture, comprising comprises the steps of (i) passing a synthesis gas mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon oxides and containing thiophene over a copper-containing sorbent disposed in a sorbent vessel at an inlet temperature in the range 200-280 oC, (ii) withdrawing a thiophene depleted synthesis gas containing methanol from the sorbent vessel, and (iii) adjusting the temperature of the methanol-containing thiophene-depleted synthesis gas mixture. The resulting gas mixture may be used for production of chemicals, e.g. methanol production or for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons, for hydrogen production by using water gas shift, or for the production of synthetic natural gas.

Abstract: A process for passivation of surfaces of heat exchange apparatus exposed to a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide, includes the steps of: adding arsine to the synthesis gas to provide a total As concentration in the synthesis gas in range 0.001 to 10 ppmv, (ii) exposing the mixture of hot synthesis gas and arsine to the shell-side surfaces of said heat exchange apparatus to reduce the interaction between the carbon monoxide present in said gas and metals in said surfaces, (iii) recovering a cooled synthesis gas from the shell-side of said apparatus, and (iv) passing the cooled synthesis gas, optionally after further cooling, through a sorbent bed to remove arsenic compounds from the synthesis gas.

Abstract: A process is described for the passivation of the surfaces of heat exchange apparatus exposed to a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen, including the steps of: (i) adding an arsenic compound to the synthesis gas at a temperature ?850° C. to generate volatile arsenic passivation species, (ii) exposing the mixture of hot synthesis gas and arsenic passivation species to surfaces on the shell-side of said heat exchange apparatus to reduce the interaction between the carbon monoxide present in said gas and metals said in said surfaces, (iii) recovering a cooled synthesis gas from the shell-side of said apparatus, and (iv) passing the cooled synthesis gas, optionally after further cooling, through a sorbent bed to remove arsenic compounds from the synthesis gas.

Abstract: A method for passivating low-alloy steel surfaces in apparatus operating in the temperature range 350 to 580° C. and exposed to a carbon monoxide containing gas mixture comprises adding a passivating compound containing at least one phosphorus (P) atom to the gas mixture. The gas mixture is preferably a reformed gas and also described is a process for producing a synthesis gas wherein, prior to cooling a reformed gas mixture to a temperature between 350 and 580° C. in apparatus having low-alloy steel surfaces downstream of one or more reforming steps, a passivating compound containing at least one phosphorus (P) atom is combined with the gas mixture.

Abstract: A process for the generation of a synthesis gas comprising: (a) forming a raw synthesis gas, (b) dividing the raw synthesis gas into first and second streams, (c) subjecting the first stream to the water gas shift reaction to form a shifted gas mixture, (d) cooling the second raw synthesis gas stream and shifted gas mixture to below the dew point to form a dry raw synthesis gas mixture, and a dry shifted gas mixture respectively, (e) feeding the dry raw synthesis gas mixture and a dry shifted gas mixture to a gas-washing unit operating by counter-current solvent flow, such that the solvent flowing through said unit contacts first with the dry raw gas mixture and then the dry shifted gas mixture, and (f) collecting from said gas-washing unit a synthesis gas having a stoichiometry ratio, R=(H2?CO2)/(CO+CO2), in the range 1.4 to 3.3.