Integration of sulfur recovery process with lng and/or gtl processes

Abstract

An improved integrated process for H2S-containing natural gas conversion comprising purification process which generates a H2S-rich gas stream and purified natural gas and an H2S conversion process which generates energy, solid sulfur, and a sulfur-plant tail gas, and an energy-consuming natural gas conversion process selected from the group consisting of liquefaction of the purified natural gas to make LNG, synthesis gas production by partial oxidation of the purified natural gas with oxygen and combinations. The energy consuming step in the liquefaction process is separation of air to give oxygen. At least a portion of the energy release in the H2S conversion process is used to supply at least a portion of the energy needed in the energy-consuming natural gas conversion process. The energy from the H2S conversion process can be in the form of electricity or preferably steam. A further improvement can be obtained by using at least a portion of the oxygen used for partial oxidation in the syngas production in the H2S conversion process or in processes to assist in further removal of sulfur from the sulfur-plant tail gas. A further additional improvement can be made by using hydrogen to assist in further removal of sulfur from the sulfur-plant tail gas where the hydrogen is derived from one or more of several of locations in the natural gas conversion process. The synthesis gas can be used to generate a range of products from different processes selected from the group consisting of fuels, chemicals, solvents, lubricant base oils and waxes by using the Fischer-Tropsch process and methanol by using the methanol synthesis process, and combinations thereof. The methanol can be further processed yield aromatics by the Methanol to Gasoline Process or to give ethylene and propylene by the Methanol to Olefins process. The ethylene and propylene can be converted to the respective polymers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.