Besides our standardized products in Hydrogen generation and Gas Upgrading, we are working on several technologies that contribute to sustainable growth for our customers and society. Our gas to liquid program is a 12,4 M€ development effort in which we are constructing a standardized skid to convert flare gas into crude oil. 

Turn waste into value

Many small-scale gas streams can become valuable when converted into liquid fuels. Currently, many of these streams are wasted into the environment, because they are too small to be used effectively. Examples are digesters or landfills gas in remote locations or vent and flare gases from upstream oil production. HyGear is developing a small-scale Gas to Liquid skid, which can convert these small gaseous waste streams into valuable liquid crude fuels.

Lower minimum efficient scale

Gas to Liquid technology has been known in large-scale applications for many years. The plants are usually dedicated to delivering the high value added products like gels, waxes and synthetic oils. Inherently, these systems are characterized by a large Minimum Efficient Scale. The systems required to convert smaller gaseous streams are not available for this reason. However, when the focus is to overcome environmental impact or utilize feedstock that would have been wasted anyway, the focus is not the end product but the feedstock. This can lower the Minimum Efficient Scale significantly.

HyGear is developing a Gas to Liquid system (GtL), dedicated to convert small-scale gas streams into synthetic crude of up to 70 bbl/day. By not refining the end product further, the small scale can be economically viable, depending on the feedstock and situation.

Advantages

The small-scale GtL offers industries an opportunity to turn waste streams into transportable and storable crude oil. At the same time, it hands a perfect solution to companies struggling to overcome anti-flaring and venting legislation. The GtL-skid can convert a wide range of gaseous inlet streams into crude synthetic oil that can be transported to a central refinery or fed directly into the crude oil stream. The utilization of waste streams has positive ecological and economical effects.

Technology

The GtL plant is based on the principle of HyGears proprietary steam reforming systems, combined with a tailored Fischer-Tropsch synthesis system. In the steam reforming section, the carbon based waste stream is converted into synthesis gas, which is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. In the Fischer-Tropsch section, this mixture will react into a mixture of alkanes. The chosen catalyst and process conditions determine the composition of products. In order to optimize the process intake, HyGear’s GTL focuses on a crude oil without further refining.

The technology of the GtL plant is based upon HyGear’s proprietary High Heat-flux Reactor designs. HyGear has specific expertise in desulphurisation methods and can choose different approaches ranging from pre-adsorption to tailored PSA removal systems.

THE GLOBAL HYDROGEN SOURCE

HyGear: The Global Hydrogen Source

HyGear: The Global Hydrogen Source