METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING FISHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS OF HYDROCARBONS IN THE DISTILLATE FUEL RANGE

摘要

An integrated process for producing a hydrocarbon stream including C5-20 normal and iso-paraffins is disclosed. The process involves isolating a non-sulfur containing methane stream and a sulfur-containing C5+ stream from a natural gas source. The methane stream is converted to syngas and further reacted to form a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon product stream. The C5-20 hydrocarbons in that product stream are hydroprocessed along with at least a portion of the C5+ stream from the natural gas source. The presence of sulfur in the C5+ stream minimizes the hydrogenolysis that would otherwise occur if the C5-20 hydrocarbons were hydroprocessed without added sulfur-containing compounds or other hydrocracking suppressants. The result is an improved yield of C5-20 hydrocarbons relative to when the hydroprocessing step does not include hydrocracking supressants.