Vol. 337 No. 8 (2026)
DOI https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/8/5696
Innovative two-section reactor and catalysts for synthetic liquid hydrocarbon production at the GTL “HES” unit from synthesis gas of non-catalytic oxidative conversion of associated petroleum gas
Relevance. Utilization of associated petroleum gas at remote and offshore fields remains an unresolved problem due to the lack of cost‑effective small‑scale technologies. Associated petroleum gas flaring causes environmental damage and leads to the loss of valuable hydrocarbon feedstock. Gas‑to‑liquids technology enables the conversion of associated petroleum gas into synthetic liquid hydrocarbons suitable for blending with crude oil or for use as motor fuels. However, known GTL processes require complex catalytic systems and separate regeneration of components, which limits their application in field conditions. Aim. To develop a single‑stage gas-to-liquid process for producing synthetic liquid hydrocarbons from synthesis gas obtained by non‑catalytic oxidative conversion of associated petroleum gas using polyfunctional catalysts, and to substantiate the design of a two‑section reactor that allows separating regeneration of catalytic components without stopping the main production. Methods. Seven bifunctional catalysts based on Zn, Cu and Al oxides were synthesized. The optimal Zn‑Cu/Al₂O₃ sample (ZnO 25.10 wt %, CuO 64.86 wt %, Al₂O₃ 10.04 wt %) was mixed with a pentasil‑group zeolite catalyst (SiO₂/Al₂O₃=47). Experiments were carried out on a laboratory flow unit with a fixed catalyst bed by varying the synthesis gas composition (H₂/CO≈0.93 and 2.03). Based on the identified technical contradiction (deactivation of the oxide catalyst during zeolite regeneration), a two‑section reactor was designed to be placed in a 20‑ft sea container. Strength calculations were performed. Results and conclusions. It was experimentally found that the maximum hydrocarbon yield (2.14 g/h) at a CO conversion of 29.1% is achieved with a feed having H₂/CO≈0.93, which corresponds to the composition of synthesis gas from non‑catalytic partial oxidation of associated petroleum gas with air. The proposed two‑section reactor allows oxidative regeneration of the zeolite‑containing catalyst in one section without stopping the hydrocarbon synthesis in the other section. The reactor block is scalable from 10 to 40 million m³ of associated petroleum gas per year by simply increasing the number of container modules. The developed polyfunctional catalytic system Zn‑Cu/Al₂O₃ + high‑silica pentasil is effective for single‑stage production of gasoline‑range hydrocarbons from synthesis gas with a low H₂/CO ratio. The two‑section reactor removes the limitations associated with separate catalyst regeneration and is a key element of the containerized “Heat – Electricity – Synthetic hydrocarbons” gas-to-liquid unit. The technical solutions are protected by a patent and can be recommended for pilot‑industrial implementation at remote oil and gas fields.
For citation: Buslaev G.V., Kuzmin A.M., Malova O.V., Lishchiner I.I., Boreiko D.A., Innovative two-section reactor and catalysts for synthetic liquid hydrocarbon production at the GTL “HES” unit from synthesis gas of non-catalytic oxidative conversion of associated petroleum gas. Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Assets Engineering, 2026, vol. 337, no. 8, pp. 45–56. http://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/8/5696
Keywords:
associated petroleum gas, GTL, synthesis gas, bifunctional catalyst, zeolite, Fischer–Tropsch synthesis, two-section reactor, partial oxidation, modular unit
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