Economic feasibility for the conversion of Texas lignite to petrochemical feedstocks. Final report. [COTHENE process]
The feasibility of a lignite-based ethylene industry in Texas was investigated and found to be a viable proposition. Ethylene production in Texas is 66% of the US capacity and is becoming increasingly dependent upon imported petroleum, consuming the equivalent of a quarter of a million barrels per day. Texas is fortunate to have vast resources of lignite. Current production of 13 million tons per year is mostly for electric utility fuel. Half of this could provide sufficient feedstock for a one billion pound per year ethylene plant, about half the expansion rate, using a conceptual process called COTHENE. COTHENE is based on a new catalyst developed at the University of Houston. Converting a mixture of H/sub 2//CO to C/sub 2/ to C/sub 8/ hydrocarbons, this catalyst gives almost 70% hydrocarbon yield at 100% conversion. By gasifying lignite via proven technology, a syngas mixture is manufactured as a feedstock to a catalytic reactor containing the new catalyst. The product, a mixture of ethane, propane and light naphtha, is then converted by conventional steam cracking to ethylene and co-products propylene and butadiene/butene. The most attractive combination is a system of giant gasification complexes located near the mines and supplying H/sub 2//CO gas to a distribution network of pipelines. Ethylene plants purchase part of the gas as feedstock, returning unconverted gas upgraded with methane back to the pipeline. With early implementation, the system could be operational by 1985. Estimated ethylene costs at that time are 38 cents/lb for COTHENE versus 26 cents/lb for existing gas oil crackers and 34 to 39 cents/lb for new ones. Significant investments will be necessary, both for the gasification (about one billion dollars) and for the ethylene plant (half a billion dollars). Consideration should be given to ways in which governmental policy can induce capital into these ventures.
- Research Organization:
- Houston Univ., TX (USA). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
- OSTI ID:
- 6642023
- Report Number(s):
- TENRAC/EDF-019; ON: DE83900832
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Flash hydropyrolysis process for conversion of lignite to liquid and gaseous products
Economic impact of an improved methanol catalyst. [Forecasting to 2000]
Related Subjects
CHEMICAL PLANTS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION
ETHYLENE
PRODUCTION
SYNTHESIS GAS
CATALYTIC CRACKING
TEXAS
COAL GASIFICATION PLANTS
CATALYSTS
COAL GASIFICATION
COST
LIGNITE
ALKENES
BROWN COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
CRACKING
DECOMPOSITION
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PYROLYSIS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
010500* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Products & By-Products
010404 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Gasification