Small-scale GTL pilot plant planned for Houston

Aug. 5, 2014
Biofuels Power Corp. (BPC), Houston, reported signing a letter of intent with ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions (Africa) (Pty.) Ltd. and Liberty GTL Inc. to build a small-scale gas-to-liquid demonstration facility in Houston. The plant will be capable of converting 5-10 MMcfd of gas into about 500 b/d of synthetic crude oil.

Biofuels Power Corp. (BPC), Houston, reported signing a letter of intent with ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions (Africa) (Pty.) Ltd. and Liberty GTL Inc. to build a small-scale gas-to-liquid demonstration facility in Houston. The plant will be capable of converting 5-10 MMcfd of gas into about 500 b/d of synthetic crude oil.

BPC will operate pilot plant for the 2-year demonstration period while ThyssenKrupp will provide technical services and contribute a previously operating autothermal reformer pilot plant. Liberty will provide intellectual property and operating know-how regarding crude oil synthesis along with the relevant catalyst supply.

The Liberty technical team also is credited for designing the Fischer Tropsch reactor, which will convert the synthetic gas to synthetic crude.

“The abundant supply and low cost of natural gas produced from unconventional shale resources enhances the opportunity to profitably convert natural gas to higher value liquid fuels,” BPC said.

The plant, which will be assembled at the Houston Clean Energy Park (a BPC-owned industrial estate), has a nonbinding target instillation and commissioning completion date of Dec. 31.