IP Library Granted Patent US 12662433
Granted Patent B2
US 12662433 · App. 18/252,690 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Process for producing methane

Inventor: Alexander James Paterson (Yorkshire, GB)
Assignee: BP P.L.C.
C07C1/12B01J21/04B01J21/063B01J21/066B01J23/75B01J23/8892C07C2521/06C07C2523/34C07C2523/75C07C2523/76
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12662433
App. No.
18/252,690
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to processes for the production of methane from hydrogen and carbon dioxide. In particular, the disclosure provides for a process for providing a product composition comprising methane. The process includes contacting a gaseous mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide with a supported methane synthesis catalyst, the supported methane synthesis catalyst comprising cobalt in the range of 1 wt % to 35 wt % on an elemental basis, to provide the product composition with a methane selectivity of at least 75%.

Claims (25)

1 . A process for providing a product composition comprising methane, the process comprising:

contacting a gaseous mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide with a supported methane synthesis catalyst, the supported methane synthesis catalyst comprising cobalt in the range of 5 wt % to 20 wt % on an elemental basis, and manganese in the range of 0.5 wt % to 15 wt %, on an elemental basis, to provide the product composition with a methane selectivity of at least 75%.

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the gaseous mixture comprises no more than 5 wt % carbon monoxide.

3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein hydrogen and the carbon dioxide are present in a molar ratio in the range of from 1:1 to 4:1.

4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein at least 50 vol % of the gaseous mixture is hydrogen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the supported methane synthesis catalyst comprises cobalt in an amount in the range of 7-20 wt %, on an elemental basis.

6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the supported methane synthesis catalyst comprises manganese, wherein the manganese is present in the range of 0.5-10 wt %, on an elemental basis.

7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the supported methane synthesis catalyst comprises a support material comprising at least one of alumina, zirconia, titania, silica, zinc oxide, ceria, or combinations thereof.

8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the contacting is performed at a temperature in the range of 150° C. to 325° C.

9 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the selectivity for methane is at least 80%.

10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide is reacted with a C 5+ selectivity of no more than 10%.

11 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the product composition is provided with a carbon dioxide conversion of at least 5%.

12 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen comprises green hydrogen, and/or wherein the carbon dioxide comprises captured carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide from biomass gasification.

13 . A method of producing a synthesis gas composition comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, the method comprising:

performing the process of claim 1 to provide methane, and

reforming a reforming feed comprising at least a portion of the methane with water and/or oxygen to produce a reforming product stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

14 . A Fischer-Tropsch process comprising

performing the process of claim 13 to provide carbon monoxide and hydrogen; and

contacting a hydrocarbon synthesis mixture comprising at least a portion of the carbon monoxide and at least a portion of the hydrogen with a Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst to produce a hydrocarbon composition with a selectivity for C 5+ hydrocarbons of at least 50% and/or a selectivity for oxygenates of at least 20%.

15 . The process of claim 14 , wherein the supported methane synthesis catalyst comprises a support material comprising at least one of zirconia, titania, silica, zinc oxide, ceria, or combinations thereof.

16 . The process of claim 15 , wherein the supported methane synthesis catalyst is free of alumina.

17 . The process of claim 14 , wherein the supported methane synthesis catalyst is supported on a titania support material, a zirconia support material, a zinc oxide support material, or a ceria support material.

18 . The process of claim 17 , wherein the supported methane synthesis catalyst is free of alumina.

19 . The process of claim 14 , wherein the supported methane synthesis catalyst is supported on a zirconia support material, a zinc oxide support material, or a ceria support material.

20 . The process of claim 14 , wherein the supported methane synthesis catalyst is supported on a titania support material.