Texaco is putting the finishing touches on this research gasification unit at its Montebello Technology Center near Los Angeles. The unit will allow Texaco to perform gasification tests more quickly and at lower cost.Texaco Corp. has been studying the gasification process since 1946 at its Montebello Technology Center in South El Monte, Calif., near Los Angeles.
As a result of its research and development work at Montebello, Texaco has become one of the world's leading suppliers of gasification technology, with more than 120 commercial plants using the process.
Texaco's gasification process was described in a related article (OGJ, Aug. 5, p. 31).
In addition to Saras' gasification project (see article p. 33), three other Italian refiners have projects under development that will use Texaco's technology:
- Anonima Petroli Italiana SpA (API) has announced plans to build a 250-mw, integrated gasification/
combined cycle (IGCC) power plant fueled by 440,000 metric tons/year (mty) of visbreaker tar. The $800-million project is scheduled for start-up in 1999 at API's refinery in Falconara, Italy.
- ISAB Energy will gasify 1 million mty resid from its Priolo, Sicily, refinery. The $1-billion project will generate 500 mw of power. Start-up is scheduled for 1999.
- Agip Petroli plans a 250-mw IGCC project, pending site selection and projected power demand in 2000 and beyond.
In addition to power, these plants will produce steam and hydrogen for refinery use.
The Montebello center
Texaco opened the Montebello Technology Center (then called the Montebello Research Laboratory) in 1946. At the time, Texaco's intention was to use the laboratory for only 3 months to study the conversion of natural gas to liquid hydrocarbons.
Texaco achieved successful conversion of natural gas to synthesis gas later that year, and continued research at the center. In 1948, pilot-plant gasification of coal began at Montebello.
"Even then, we were looking for the alternate feedstocks," said Texaco Honorary Fellow Dr. Neil Richter.
In 1953, the first commercial gasification plant started up in Vicksburg, Miss. This plant converted natural gas to syngas, which was then used to produce ammonia.
In the 1960s, Texaco began gasifying petroleum coke and heavy petroleum feeds. During the oil crisis of the 1970s, Texaco returned its focus to gasification of coal and coal by-products.
The Montebello center has three pilot gasification units. The largest, a 20 ton/day high-pressure unit, started up in 1981.
In 1984, the first IGCC unit-the Cool Water plant at Daggett, Calif.-started up. Later in the 1980s, Texaco broadened its studies to include solid and liquid wastes and Orimulsion as feeds.
Texaco began development of a liquefaction process in 1992. In 1993, Texaco began studying gasification of plastics at the Montebello center.
The Montebello center now operates a solids liquefaction unit that melts waste plastic with heated, used oil to provide the liquid feed required by Texaco's gasification process. Shredded tires also have been liquefied and used as feed for the pilot gasification units at Montebello.
Texaco and a European company are making plans to build the first commercial plastics gasification plant in Europe. Details will be released later this year.
Research gasifier
To increase its flexibility to perform a variety of research projects, Texaco is building a scaled-down research gasification unit (RGU) at Montebello. This smaller, more advanced unit will:
- Reduce turnaround times between test runs
- Operate at one tenth the cost of a large pilot unit
- Produce less waste
- Generate more sophisticated environmental reports
- Incorporate improved control and operations systems.
Texaco will start up and validate the new RGU by the end of the year. Next year, coal and natural gas capabilities will be added.
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