Patent ID: 8816137
Filing Date: 2014-08-26
Classification: C01B,C07C,C10G,C10L,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for producing methanol, which comprises: increasing the API index of heavy oils by breaking down asphaltene and maltene components to reduce viscosity, remove harmful impurities and form treated heavy oils having an API index of between 30 and 40; reacting the treated heavy oils with water under steam reforming reaction conditions sufficient to form a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide; reacting the treated heavy oils and carbon dioxide under dry reforming reaction conditions sufficient to form a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide; combining the hydrogen and carbon monoxide mixtures produced in the steam and dry reforming steps to form a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a molar ratio of between about 2:1 and 2.1:1; and reacting the mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide without separation of its components under conditions sufficient to exclusively form methanol; wherein the heavy oils are not gasified in the presence of oxygen.