Process for converting gas to liquids

(54) PROCESS FOR CONVERTING GAS TO LIQUIDS

(75) Inventors: John R. Wolflick, McKinney; Gary L.

Beer, Piano; Richard L. Payne,

McKinney, all of TX (US)

(73) Assignee: Sybtroleum Corporation, Tulsa, OK (US)

( * ) Notice: This patent issued on a continued prosecution application filed under 37 CFR 1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year patent term provisions of 35 U.S.C. 154(a)(2).

Under 35 U.S.C. 154(b), the term of this patent shall be extended for 0 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 08/950,312

(22) Filed: Oct. 14, 1997

Related U.S. Application Data

(63) Continuation of application No. 08/679,402, filed on Jul. 9, 1996, now abandoned.

(51) Int. CI. C07C 27/00

(52) U.S. CI 518/705; 518/702; 518/703;

518/728

(58) Field of Search 518/702, 703,

518/705, 728

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(List continued on next page.)

Primary Examiner—Shailendra Kumar

Assistant Examiner—Jean F Vollano

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Baker Botts L.L.P.

Aprocess for converting a hydrocarbon gas (e.g. natural gas) to syngas which, in turn, is converted into a liquid hydrocarbon product wherein a substantial amount of the heat generated in the process is recovered for use in generating steam needed in the process or for conversion into mechanical energy. Further, tail gas produced by the process is used to fuel the gas turbine which, in turn, is used power the compressors needed for compressing the air used in the process. By using tail gas to fuel the gas turbine, less of the compressed combustion-air is needed to cool the combustion gases in the turbine and, instead, can be used to provide a portion of the process-air required in the process; thereby possibly saving up to 20 to 30 percent of the horsepower otherwise needed to compress the required volume of process-air.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets

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