Patent ID: 7151198
Filing Date: 2006-12-19
Classification: C07C,C10G,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A process for producing light olefins, the process comprising the steps of: (a) converting a syngas steam in a methanol synthesis reactor to a first effluent stream containing methanol and water; (b) separating the first effluent stream in an integrated methanol/water separation unit comprising a distillation column into a first fraction and a second fraction, wherein the first fraction comprises a majority of the methanol present in the first effluent stream, and wherein the second fraction comprises a majority of the water present in the first effluent stream; (c) contacting the methanol in the first fraction with a catalyst in an MTO reactor under conditions effective to form a product effluent containing the light olefins, residual methanol and water; (d) separating the product effluent into one or more C (e) separating in the integrated methanol/water separation unit a majority of the residual methanol present in the third fraction from a majority of the water present in the third fraction, wherein the first fraction further comprises the majority of the residual methanol present in the third fraction, and wherein the second fraction further comprises the majority of the water present in the third fraction, wherein the process further including steps (f) providing an initial natural gas stream containing natural gas and one or more compounds containing sulfur; (g) removing at least a portion of the one or more compounds containing sulfur from the initial natural gas stream in a desulfurization unit, thereby forming a processed natural gas stream; and (h) forming the syngas provided, in step (a) from at least a portion of the natural gas in the processed natural gas stream.