Sinopec, Exxon to develop fluid-bed technologies for methanol-to-gasoline

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co. (EMRE) and Sinopec Engineering Group (SEG) are participating in a cooperative development agreement (CDA) for the advancement of fluid bed methanol-to-gasoline technology, the companies announced today.

 

The CDA will leverage the two companies’ expertise and experience in methanol conversion to gasoline (MTG) and fluid bed technology development to refine and commercialize a fluid bed version of MTG technology. 

The two companies are developing the technology under the cooperative development agreement with the intent to globally license the technology.

“Our goal is to develop a fluid bed MTG design that will cost significantly less to construct and operate,” said Xuejun Xiao, director of the technical department of SEG.  “We want to significantly improve energy efficiency versus the fixed bed design.”   

EMRE has been working on MTG catalyst and process technology development since the 1970s. ExxonMobil says its engineers designed the first fixed bed MTG unit, which was operated commercially in New Zealand from 1985 until the mid-1990s in a facility that converted natural gas into regular gasoline.

EMRE has also conducted research on a fluid bed version of MTG technology along with the US Department of Energy and others. The research included the operation of a 100 B/D fluid bed MTG demonstration unit in 1983.  

“With more than 40 years of research and development experience in methanol gas technology, ExxonMobil is looking forward to continuing these efforts through our cooperative agreement with SEG,” said Vince Alberico, manager of technology sales and licensing at EMRE.  “Once the technology is successfully developed we anticipate it will have strong market competitiveness and broad marketability.”

SEG says it brings additional engineering and technology development expertise including experience with a number of fluid bed technologies. Through this agreement, EMRE and SEG say they will work to refine the fluid bed MTG process incorporating design updates that include technology developments since the original fluid bed MTG program was completed.   

Pilot facilities have been constructed at SEG’s research facilities in Luoyang, Henan Province, in China.