Gas To Liquids Technology (GTL) - Australia's Fuel Future?: Valérie Sage

Gas to Liquids Technology (GTL) Australias
Fuel Future?
Valrie Sage
CSIRO Petroleum Resources Gas Processing and Conversion
SPE Engineering Australia Seminar 07.09.2009
Outline
What is GTL ?
What is the current transport fuels situation?
Why using GTL technology to transform natural gas?
GTL Challenges
CSIRO GTL Research
Conclusion
CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009
What is GTL ?
The Chemistry Behind GTL
Background GTL process

Hydrocarbon
feedstock
Syngas
production
Hydrocarbon
production
Product
targeting
Fischer Tropsch
Product upgrade
30%
10%
Air Separation
30%
Natural Gas
Oxygen
Reformer /
Partial Oxidation
30%
Syngas
CO + H2
Coal
Gasification
Biomass
Hydrocarbon
+ steam,
CO2, O2
CO + H2
-(CH2)-n
Light HCs
Waxes
Water
CO2
Oxygenates
-(CH2)-n
Syngas Production
Syngas Production
Steam reforming
CH4 + H2O CO + 3H2
Dry reforming
CH4 + CO2 2CO + 2H2
Partial oxidation
CH4 + O2 CO + 2H2
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
n CO + 2n H2 -(CH2)n + H2O
Conditions
Optimum H2:CO = 2:1
Transition metal-based catalyst Fe, Co, Ni, or Ru
High temperature (> 300 C, Fe catalysts)
Low temperature (~ 200 C, Co catalysts)
Pressure > 2 MPa
GTL Products
GTL base oil
Lubricant for vehicle engines, gearboxes and transmissions
GTL gas oil

Use in conventional diesel engine
Cleaner burning and lower emissions
GTL kerosene
Cooking, lighting and dry-cleaning fuel
Higher energy density and lower emissions
Tested as a jet fuel in an Airbus A380 flight
GTL normal paraffin

Virtually identical to oil-derived paraffin
GTL naphtha
Higher paraffin content
The Current Situation

Transport Fuels Sources
Fossil Fuels
Oil, Gas, and Coal
Upside
Convenient and versatile
High energy density
Well established global
infrastructure
Easy to transport
Easy and Safe handling
Downside
Finite resource
Major GHG source
Impact on ecosystems
Large capital investments, long
pay-out times
Used as a geopolitical weapon
May get too expensive (Oil)
Oil Peak time?
The median forecast is calculated from 14 models that are predicting a peak before 2020
95% of the predictions sees a production peak between 2008 and 2010 at 77.5 - 85.0 mbpd
Source: The Oil Drum; http://www.theoildrum.com/story/2006/11/13/225447/79
Energy from Renewable

Hydrogen
Can be made from a range of sources (water, coal, gas,
biomass, nuclear, wind and solar)
Issues
Production costs, especially if produced from renewable
Carbon dioxide co-production
Distribution, delivery, and storage
Solar / Wind
Renewable, clean, safe, and unlimited
Issues
Intermittent
Low energy density
Land required
Impact on ecosystem ?
Grid infrastructure not ready
Alternative / Renewable Feedstock

Biomass
Renewable
Home-grown
CO2-neutral ?
Issues
Energy and GHG balance is precarious

Low energy density
Limited output because of land requirements
Fuels vs. Food ?
Harvest failure
Soil exhaustion (danger of monocultures)
Deforestation
Water requirements
The Alternative Route to Fuels

Alternative Feedstock
Natural Gas
Coal
Products
GTL
XTL
CTL
Transport Fuels
Chemicals
Biomass
BTL
XTL Processes
Process
Gas to Liquid
(GTL)
Coal to Liquid
(CTL)
Biomass to
Liquid
(BTL)
Supply
Abundant reserves,
especially in WA
Large reserves
Supply might be an
issue
GHG Emissions
Comparable to oil
refining
Reduction through
technology improvement
Higher than oil

refining
Significant reduction
through CCS
Most promising
technology for GHG
emission reduction
Technology
Industrially proven but

further R&D required
Industrially proven
but further R&D
required
Further R&D
required
Status
Industrial units already in

operation
Large scale
industrial units
already in operation
Pilot plant only
Future
Commercial plants under

construction
Large plants
planned
Prototype plant
planned
Well to Wheel GHG Emissions (syn-diesel)
From ASFE Position Paper: Emissions from Synthetic Fuels, Alliance for Synthetic Fuels in Europe (ASFE), January
2007 (http://www.synthetic-fuels.org/documents/20070221124435_ASFE%20Position%20Paper%20on%20Emissions.pdf)
Is GTL the Answer?
Gas Reserves in Australia
Australias Future Alternative resources

Australias unique situation and individual problems
need Australian individual solution
Australia specific problems
Liquid poor but gas rich
Reliance on other countries for oil import
Distances
Abundant coal and gas reserves

Potential of large scale synfuel production
Natural gas represents one of the best feedstock for

synthetic fuels production
Large natural gas reserves in Australia, especially in WA
Reduced GHG emissions
Australian Situation
Government's Energy White Paper
GTL
CTL
Other alternative fuels
CTL
Linc Energy project
Underground coal gasification (UCG)
In-situ conversion of coal to a Syngas (heat, pressure steam)
Syngas converted into Synfuel in FT reactor
Prospects for carbon capture and sequestration
GTL
No facility as yet
Focus on production of GTL middle distillate (diesel and jet
fuel)
Benefits of GLT
Security of supply
Available in increasing volumes
Fuel source self sufficiency

Environmental performance local emissions
Cleaner products (middle distillates)
GTL Fuels
Lower emissions
Virtually sulphur and aromatic free diesel
Reduction in particulate (PM-10) and hydrocarbons emissions when
used in diesel engines
Higher cetane number (75-80)
Benefits of GLT (cont)

Compatibility
Can be used in existing engines and refuelling infrastructure
No need for complete replacement of vehicles, refineries and
distribution systems
Cost effectiveness
Existing infrastructure
Local production
Reduction in crude oil import
Diversification
Stranded and associated gas reserves use
BTL and CTL applications
Economics
Economic viability
Required selling price of the fuel produced through GTL have to
be above the break even mark by a significant amount
Large scale GTL plant in the middle east

Without CCS
Expected to be competitive with oil down to approximately $20
per barrel
Recent advances by the oil company Shell have seen

synthetic fuels start to become profitable.
GTL plant in Qatar
Claims that process will remain competitive with traditional
diesel unless the price of crude falls below $20 per barrel
Other Alternatives to GTL for Gas Transformation

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
Deep refrigeration required (-162 C)

Energy density: 60% of that of diesel fuel
Special ships for transport
Large investments for liquefaction and re-gasification terminals
Long term contracts required
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
Pressurisation (200-220 bar)

Special ships for transport
Less expensive than LNG
Lower energy density than LNG (42%) or conventional diesel (25%)
Competitive only for small distance and volume
In both cases, the receiving end product is still gas

The GTL Answer

GTL represents one of the best alternative to produce
synthetic / transport fuels
Use of remote, stranded and off-shore Australian gas reserves
Security of supply
Cost effective synfuel production
GTL Around the World

Existing large scale commercial GTL - FT process plants
Sasol (South Africa) - Mossgas
Coal and natural gas as feedstock
Variety of synthetic petroleum products
Synthol reactors (fluidized bed): 45,000
bbl/day for GTL
Slurry bubble reactor: 2,500 bbl/day
Sasol/Chevron (Qatar) - Oryx
Natural gas feedstock

Variety of synthetic petroleum products
Slurry bubble reactor
34,000 bbl/day
Shell (Malaysia) - Bintulu
Natural gas as feedstock

low-sulphur diesel fuels products
Multitubular fixed-bed reactor
Co based catalysts
15,000 bbl/day
Future Large GTL Projects

Pearl GTL project - Qatar
Shell and Qatar petroleum joint venture
Expected production of 140,000 barrels per day of Fischer
Tropsch petroleum liquids starting in 2010 (first train) and 2011
(second train)
Escravos GTL Project Nigeria

Sasol Chevron
Expected to production of 34,000 barrels per day of Fischer
Tropsch synthetic fuel in 2011
GTL Challenges
GTL Challenges
GTL Plant
Large plants
Oxygen generation unit

Reformer
Fischer-Tropsch reactor
Post-treatment unit
High capital investment and operating cost
GTL Process
Exothermic and endothermic reaction
Side reactions
Large range of product
Poor selectivity
Relationship to external environment

FT process still not very selective to desired products
Natural Gas
Coal
Biomass
Syngas production
30%
Oxygen
Steam
Carbon
dioxide
Solar
30%
Synfuel production
Product upgrade
30%
10%
Relationship to external environment

Remove the need for product upgrading step:
Courtesy JOGMEC / Nippon GTL

GTL Opportunities
Reduce costs (capital and operational)
Reduce plant footprint
Plant usable for small operations
Associated gas (on or off-shore)
Stranded gas reserves (on or off-shore)
Novel GTL processes
Enhanced Fischer Tropsch processes

Direct liquid production
High-value targets
Minimise emissions
CO2 Sequestration
GTL Strategy @ CSIRO
Description and Objectives

Stream Objective
Provide technologies that enable coal and gas derived low
emissions transport fuels to reduce significantly Australias
reliance on imported oil for transportation
Project Objectives
Synthetic liquid fuel
production from natural
gas / syngas
Modification/improvement
of the Fischer-Tropsch
(FT) process
Capability building
Project Outcomes
Security of supply of
Synfuels
Cost effective production of
Synfuels
Valorisation of Australias
stranded natural gas
reserves
Diversification to other
feedstock (biomass, coal)
Gas Processing & Conversion Group

LNG pre-liquefaction
gas separations
H2 production
Synthetic fuel production
Fischer-Tropsch
synthesis
Synthesis gas production
Methanol
synthesis
Natural gas
Coal
Biomass
Non-conventional
GTL
Pre-sequestration
gas separations
Product upgrade
GTL Research Strategy

Catalysis design
Co based catalysts more resistant than Fe based catalyst
Ru based supported slurry catalysts
Reactor design
Shift from fixed-bed reactor to slurry phase process
Improved heat removal efficient mixing
Gas recycling
Reduced plant footprint and capital cost
Process optimisation
Reaction conditions
Use of additives
Production of industrially significant data

Long runs without interruption (several months)
Purpose of GTL Research

No such facility in Australia
Capability building
Improvement of the GTL process
Selectivity
Mechanism
Plant footprint
Conclusion
Overall
Objectives of 20% energy production from renewable
resources by 2020
Fossil and Synthetic Transport Fuels are going to be
with us for a long time
Need other sources of energy diversification
Australia has real individual issues that chemists and
chemical engineers have to meet
Security of Supply
There is a real need to focus on these to ensure a fuel
supply for the future
GTL benefits
Security of supply
Valorisation of stranded and off-shore gas reserves
Use of existing infrastructure
Develop a cost effective production of synthetic fuels
High performance fuels
Decrease of pollutant emissions
Build capability
Diversification
Platform for Biomass to Liquids (BTL) and Coal to Liquids
(CTL) products development
Production of other products such as oxygenates
CSIRO Petroleum Resources

Dr Valrie Sage
Research Scientist
Gas Processing and Conversion Group
Phone: 08 6436 8836
Email: valerie.sage@csiro.au
Web: www.csiro.au/science/Fischer-Tropsch-Process.html
www.csiro.au/science/Gas-Conversion-Processing-FuelFuture.html
Thank you
Contact Us
Phone: 1300 363 400 or +61 3 9545 2176
Email: Enquiries@csiro.au Web: www.csiro.au

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Gas to Liquids Technology (GTL) Australias

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Background GTL process

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

CH4 + H2O CO + 3H2

CH4 + CO2 2CO + 2H2

GTL gas oil

GTL normal paraffin

The Current Situation

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Oil Peak time?

Energy from Renewable

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Alternative / Renewable Feedstock

Energy and GHG balance is precarious

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

The Alternative Route to Fuels

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Higher than oil

Industrially proven but

Industrial units already in

Pilot plant only

Commercial plants under

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Well to Wheel GHG Emissions (syn-diesel)

Is GTL the Answer?

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Gas Reserves in Australia

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Australias Future Alternative resources

Abundant coal and gas reserves

Natural gas represents one of the best feedstock for

Prospects for carbon capture and sequestration

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Fuel source self sufficiency

Higher cetane number (75-80)

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Benefits of GLT (cont)

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Large scale GTL plant in the middle east

Recent advances by the oil company Shell have seen

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Other Alternatives to GTL for Gas Transformation

Deep refrigeration required (-162 C)

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

Pressurisation (200-220 bar)

In both cases, the receiving end product is still gas

The GTL Answer

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

GTL Around the World

Sasol/Chevron (Qatar) - Oryx

Natural gas feedstock

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Shell (Malaysia) - Bintulu

Natural gas as feedstock

Future Large GTL Projects

Escravos GTL Project Nigeria

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

CSIRO GTL - SPE - Engineering Australia Seminar - 07.09.2009

Oxygen generation unit

High capital investment and operating cost