ExxonMobil Methanol to Gasoline

Commercially Proven Route

for Production of Synthetic Gasoline

Routes for Synthetic Transportation Fuel

Natural Gas
Coal
BioMass

Fischer
Tropsch (LT)

Refining

Primarily
Diesel

Methanol
Generation

Methanol to
Gasoline

Primarily
Gasoline

SynGas
Generation

Steam

Both are 3 Step Process

Thermal Efficiencies are Essentially Governed by
Coal or Natural Gas C/H Ratios
Coal is CH to Fuels plus CO2
Natural gas is CH4 to Fuels plus H2O

Routes for Synthetic Transportation Fuel

Natural Gas
Coal
BioMass

Commercial technology with

multiple technology suppliers

SynGas
Generation

Steam

Methanol
Generation

Methanol to
Gasoline

Primarily
Gasoline

Comparison of Fischer Tropsch with MTG*

ARGE FT
(Low Temp)
2.0

Synthol FT
(High Temp)
10.1

MTG

Ethylene

3.1

4.0

Ethane

1.8

4.0

0.4

Propylene

2.7

12.0

0.2

Propane

1.7

2.0

4.3

Butylenes

3.1

9.0

1.1

Butane

1.9

2.0

10.9

Naphtha

18

40.0

82.3

Gasoil/Distillate

14.0

7.0

Heavy Oil/Wax

52.0

4.0

3.2

0.1

100

100

100

Compound
Methane

Oxygenates

* Shields, Fox & Chaung GPA 64th. Conv.

0.7

MTG Scale-up and Development

Unique Shape Selective chemistry discovered in the early
1970s
Major Challenge Make marketable gasoline
Development done through the 70s on a verity of process
options
Pilot operations up to 4 bpd in the US
Pilot operations up to 100 bpd in Germany

Decision by New Zealand Government in 1979 to build

commercial 14.5 kbd plant in New Plymouth NZ. Plant ownership
75% NZ Government/25% ExxonMobil
Plant started up 1985 and operated successfully for ~10 years till
conversion to chemical grade Methanol production

MTG Product Yields

Products

Production
Per 1000 tonnes MeOH

Fuel Gas, bbl FOE/Day

96.6

LPG, bbl/Day

420

Gasoline, bbl/Day

3200

MTG Commercialization
Fixed bed is generally conventional type hardware. However
Multireactor System
Cyclic Operation

Feed can be a wide range of crude Methanol compositions

(water/methanol)
Significant challenges in catalyst scale-up and development
Yield
Cycle length

Advantages over Fischer Tropsch

Methanol is proven and widely used technology
Methanol is storable which enhances operability between stages
Methanol to Gasoline uses gas phase conventional type fixed bed
reactors

Schematic of New Zealand Gas to Gasoline

Complex
Finished
Gasoline

Fuel Gas / LPG

Natural
Gas

Crude

Distillation

Water Product
to Treatment

HGT

Methanol

Steam

Gasoline

MTG

Heavy

Methanol
Synthesis

Light
Gasoline

Blending

New Zealand Synfuel Plant Built with Modular

Construction

A Methanol Plant Compressor in

Route

Modular Construction History

Maximum Module
33 by 15 Meters
600 tonnes

Total Lift
66 Modules
15,000 tonnes

New Zealand Synfuel Plant

Methanol 01 Production
100

MONTHLY
Production (000s te)
Stream Factor (x)

80

60

40

20

Oct 1985

Feb 1986

Jun 1986
Production

Oct 1985
Stream Factor

Feb 1987

Methanol 02 Production
100

MONTHLY
Production (000s te)
Stream Factor (x)

80

60

40

20

Oct 1985

Feb 1986

Jun 1986
Production

Oct 1985
Stream Factor

Feb 1987

Total Gasoline Yield

12

(te Gasoline / TJ Nat Gas)

11

10

8
Yield

7
Nov 1985

Mar 1986

Jul 1986

Nov 1986

New Zealand MTG Unit Gasoline Yield*

12 RVP GASO YIELD, WT PCT OF HC

95

90

85
Expected
Plant

80

75
Jan

*12 RVP

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

New Zealand MTG Unit Gasoline Octane (R+O)*

12 RVP GASO YIELDRON+O

98
96
94
92
90
Expected
Plant

88
86

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

*12 RVP

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

New Zealand Finished Gasoline Quality

Average

Range

Octane Number, RON

92.2

92.0 92.5

Octane Number, MON

82.6

82.2 83.0

Reid Vapor Pressure, kPa

85

82 90

Density, kg/m3

730

728 733

Induction Period, min.

325

260 370

Durene Content, wt%

2.0

1.74 2.29

% Evaporation at 70 C

31.5

29.5 34.5

% Evaporation at 100 C

53.2

51.5 55.5

% Evaporation at 180 C

94.9

94 96.5

End Point, C

204.5

196 - 209

Distillation

Methanol to Gasoline
Commercially Proven Route for Gasoline