Process for converting methane and/or natural gas to more readily transportable materials
AssigneeThe Standard Oil Company
InventorsLouis J. Velenyi, Christos Paparizos
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Abstract
The invention relates to a process for converting light hydrocarbon feedstocks such as methane and/or natural gas, to higher molecular weight hydrocarbon products that are more readily handleable and transportable. The process comprises heating a gaseous mixture comprising said light hydrocarbon feedstocks and a minor, effective amount of at least one ether or thioether compound at a temperature of at least about 800.degree. C. for a period of time effective to provide said higher molecular weight liquid hydrocarbon product. The invention also relates to the higher molecular weight liquid products obtained by the process of the invention.
Claims34
A thermal process for converting a feedstock comprising methane and/or natural gas to liquid hydrocarbons comprising heating a gaseous mixture comprising said feedstocks and a minor effective amount of at least one ether or thioether compound at a temperature of at least about 800.degree. C. for a period of time effective to provide said liquid hydrocarbons.
A thermal process for converting a feedstock comprising methane and/or natural gas to liquid hydrocarbons comprising heating a gaseous mixture comprising said feedstocks and from about 0.1 to about 30% by volume of an ether or thioether characterized by the formula
- R.sup.1 XR.sup.2
- wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbyl groups containing up to about 10 carbon atoms, and X is oxygen or sulfur to a temperature of from about 800.degree. C. to about 1500.degree. C. for a period of time effective to provide said liquid hydrocarbons.
A process for converting methane and/or natural gas feedstocks to higher molecular weight liquid hydrocarbon products which comprises heating a gaseous mixture comprising said feedstocks and from about 1 to about 10% by volume, based on the volume of said feed-stock, of at least one dialiphatic ether containing up to about 10 carbon atoms in the aliphatic groups to a temperature of from about 800.degree. C. to about 1300.degree. C. for a period of time of from about 20 to about 1000 milliseconds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.