What is Ray – GTF

The combination of some technological blocks for converting natural gas to the liquid fuels through non-FT paths that developed by Research  Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI) is named Ray – GTF.

Ray is the name of a historical city located in south of Tehran (Iran) and estimated to be as old two thousand years.

In 1959, the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI) was established in order to research & develop new technologies for petroleum industry of  Iran  (Ray Area).

GTF stands for Gas To Fuel that describes the nature of this technology. By Ray-GTF technology natural gas or other light gaseous hydrocarbon convert to heavier liquid fuels e.g. LPG, DME, kerosene, gasoline and diesel through non-FT paths.

GTF Importance

Iran with proven gas reserves of around 27 TCM, equivalent to almost 18% of the world reserves stands second among major gas resources owners nations of the world. This position enjoyed by the country can create a way to convert these recourses to value-added products. 

Up to 1980 's' the most conventional method for converting natural gas to fuel , was a classical method that is known as Fisher-Tropsch (FT)  process, but today new technologies for conversion of gas to fuel are coming age.

GTF is one of the ways for natural gas monetization along with other similar routes comprises of some commercial processes. This process has considerable advantages as outlined below:
 

1. Diversity technology licensors for all process steps at different technological levels (proved, ready for commercialization and research completion)

2. Variety of products with superior quality (conventional fuel, DME, and Propylene) , which guarantees profitability in different market situations

3. The considerable amount of produced water which can be easily treated and used as irrigation or potable water (as compared to produced water in FT process which contains some cobalt impurity)

4. Reduction in CO2 emission as compared to other gas conversion routes (Improvement of carbon efficiency)

5. Lower capital investment per barrel of product

6. Higher ratio of diesel production and higher octane No. of gasoline product, depending on the operating conditions and processes used, in comparison with other gas conversion process

7. Zero amount of sulfur in liquid fuel products allows blending with refinery diesel fuel products

8. Lower risk of scale-up as compared with the conventional FT process

An example of a typical GTF Plant

GTF technology is combination of a few sequential processes. Some alternatives in the processes have been commercialized already.

A typical GTF plant includes following units:

Syngas, Methanol, DME, Conversion of Methanol/DME to olefins, Conversion of olefins to liquid fuels A simplified flow diagram of a GTF plant includes following arrangement:

There are several other alternatives processes for GTF, but the key element in GTF technology is integrating of the different processes in order to minimize the investment costs.

GTF Plan at RIPI

Since 2004, RIPI has initiated a 5-year GTF research program and has been defined comprehensive research activities on GTF technology as follow:

• Development, improvement and performing reactor tests for a proper catalyst in Methanol to Olefin conversion Process.

• Development, improvement and performing reactor tests for a proper catalyst in DME to Distillate conversion process.

• Technical and economical evaluation of DME production and direct conversion of methanol to DME via reactive distillation technique.

• Technical & economical evaluation for methanol to propylene and Methanol to Clefin conversion processes and recognizing key factors.

• Economic comparison GTF and FT-GTF

• Focus on some short-cut methods integration in GTF plant.

Achievements

• Modeling and simulation of GTF complex, development of plant configuration and PFD,s.

• Cost estimations for producing gasoline and diesel from natural gas via non-FT path at PFS stage (2004 Persian Gulf  Coast location basis).

•  Result: In higher capacity, investment cost for FT-GTL is more than GTF at the same capacity

• Successful creation of proper catalyst for converting of light Olefin to Diesel.

• Performing reactor tests for a proper catalyst in Olefin to Diesel conversion process.

• Successful creation of proper catalyst for converting of Methanol to Olefin.

• Successful creation of proper catalyst for direct converting of Syngas to Olefin (Propylene, ethylene)

• Performing reactor tests for a proper catalyst in direct converting of Syngas to Olefin (Propylene, ethylene) process.

• Successful international patenting of the production of DME from Methanol via reactive distillation technique .

• Successful national patenting of the GTF technology.

• Extensive publication of the successes in most credible international journals and congresses.