Synthesis Gas to Hydrogen, Methanol, and Synthetic Fuels

One of the most commercially desirable appHcations for OTMs is the spontaneous partial oxidation of natural gas into synthesis gas. This latter feedstock is of major importance for its subsequent conversion to methanol and to hydrogen. Additionally, synthesis gas can be converted, via Fischer-Tropsch chemistry, into liquid fuels (gas to liquids, GTL) particularly under circumstances where natural gas is located remotely from the place of consumption. Because the resulting hquid fuels possess an intrinsically higher energy density than natural gas, they would be less expensive to transport. One prime example is the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, which in the future could be used to transport synthetic liquid fuels derived from Alaska s vast reserves of natural gas in the Prudhoe Bay area to the Port of Valdez [36]. This is one of many remote natural gas locations around the world which could take advantage of OTM technology. 

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