Catalytic valorization of low-cost light crudes under methane environment

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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.