Harald Koempel

Lurgi's Methanol To Propylene (MTP®) Report on a successful commercialisation

Publisher Summary There are abundant natural gas reserves providing low-cost feedstock for methanol production and aiming at the better use of natural resources, especially in the case of associated gases being flared. Propylene produced from methanol increases the value of natural gas considerably and offers an exciting potential of growth and a high earning level. A similar reasoning holds true for regions where low-grade coal is found in abundance. The higher investment necessary for coal gasification is compensated by the extremely low feedstock cost afterwards. Lurgis MegaMethanol® technology can bring down the net methanol production cost below US

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING LOWER OLEFINS FROM OXYGENATES

50 per ton wherever low-cost natural gas or coal is available. This opens up a completely new field for downstream products like DME and propylene. Based on simple fixed-bed reactor systems, conventional processing elements and operating conditions, including commercially manufactured catalysts, provide attractive ways to monetize natural gas and abundant low-grade coal as well. Commercialization of GTP/MTP® has started in earnest and in fullest scale; apart from a smaller project in Iran, two world-scale plants of 471 kt/a propylene capacity are scheduled for erection in China—with the procurement of long lead items already under way.