Catalytic valorization of low-cost light crudes under methane environment

随着环境问题和经济困难的加剧，全球石化工业正面临着生产极低硫含量燃料的挑战，并正在经历从燃料向化学品生产的过渡。加拿大拥有丰富的天然气和石油资源，但其价值往往被低估。为了更好地利用当地资源，以环境友好的方式获得更高的利润，提出了一种在温和条件下（温度~400 oC，压力小于5 MPa）在天然气环境下将低成本轻质原油转化为高价值化学品的新方法。因此，该研究方案提供了一种更便宜和更清洁的替代方案，具有降低的资本和操作成本以及显著降低的CO2排放，因此与常规加氢处理工艺相比提高了经济效益和环境相容性，因为将应用温和的反应条件并且不需要昂贵的H2。本项目的目标有三个：（1）。将低成本轻质原油转化为BTX等高附加值化学品，BTX产率超过50%; 2）。对MDO等含硫燃料进行脱硫，硫含量降低率应大于75%;探讨甲烷作用下芳构化脱硫机理。为了实现上述目标，将开发一种特别定制的催化剂系统来触发甲烷的活化并催化随后与轻质原油的共转化以形成所需的产物。该项目将为天然气的利用提供一条新的途径，而不是燃烧;通过分子工程从轻质原油中获得高价值的化学品，并大大提高其利润;以经济的方式通过脱硫生产清洁燃料。两名博士后学者和两名研究生将成功地从这个拟议的一个培养。该项目取得的成果将通过更有效和更清洁地利用加拿大丰富的轻质原油和天然气，进一步确定加拿大在世界能源市场上的领先地位。

With more environmental concerns and economic difficulties, the global petrochemical industry is facing the challenge to produce very low sulfur content fuel and undergoing the transition from fuel to chemicals production. Canada has abundant natural gas and oil resources yet their value is often underestimated. To better utilize the local resource and get higher profit in an environmentally friendly way, a novel approach is proposed to convert low-cost light crudes to high valuable chemicals under natural gas environment at mild conditions (temperature ~400 oC and pressure less than 5 MPa). Therefore, this research proposal offers a cheaper and cleaner alternative with reduced capital and operating cost as well as notably reduced CO2 emission and thus improves economic profitability and environmental compatibility compared to conventional hydro-treating processes because mild reaction conditions will be applied and no expensive H2 is needed. There are three objectives of this proposed project: 1). To convert low-cost light crudes to high value-added chemicals such as BTX, with the yield of BTX exceeding 50%; 2). To remove sulfur in sour fuels such as MDO and the reduction of sulfur content should exceed 75%; 3). To explore the aromatization and desulfurization mechanism under methane. In order to realize the aforementioned targets, a specially tailored catalyst system will be developed to trigger the activation of methane and catalyze the following co-conversion with light crudes toward the formation desired products. This project will have the following benefits: to supply a new utilization route for natural gas other than combustion; to achieve high valued chemicals from light crudes via molecular engineering and greatly enhance their profits; to produce clean fuel via sulfur removal in an economical manner. Two posdoctoral scholars and two graduate students will be successfully trained from this proposed one. The achievement made from this proposed project will further ascertain the leading position of Canada in the world's energy market through more efficient and cleaner utilization of light crudes and natural gas which are abundant in Canada.