Iran’s first gas-to-liquids unit will be designed in the current Iranian year (started March 20), head of downstream sector at the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry announced on Saturday.“Backed by National Iranian Oil Company, RIPI has started designing the first GTL unit in Iran,” Mansour Bazmi was quoted as saying by Shana.
GTL is a refinery process that converts natural gas to liquid fuels such as gasoline, jet fuel and diesel. Using gas-to-liquids processes, refineries can convert their gaseous waste products (flare gas) into valuable fuels.
In this regard, a memorandum of understanding on establishing a joint gas refining and processing institute with National Iranian Gas Company has been signed, Bazmi added.
On RIPI’s activities in catalysts production, the official noted that based on the institute’s license, an unnamed private company has mass produced a catalyst used in the gasoline unit of Persian Gulf Star Refinery.
Bazmi said RIPI has signed two “important” contracts with National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company for cooperation in using the latest know-how of catalyst production.
"RIPI has, for the first time in its history, provided engineering and technical services to nine refining units," he said.
The Oil Ministry’s subsidiary institute has also developed the technology of producing petroleum coke.
Petroleum coke —aka petcoke—is a carbonaceous solid delivered from oil refinery coker units or other cracking processes. It has a variety of uses as an alternative, cost-effective fuel.
