IP Library Granted Patent US 12680031
Granted Patent B2
US 12680031 · App. 18/311,633 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Methods of processing hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide

Inventors: Emad Naji Al-Shafei (Dhahran, SA); Ammar H. Alahmed (Dhahran, SA); Mohammed Z. Al-Bahar (Dhahran, SA); Mohammad F. Aljishi (Dhahran, SA); Ahmed K. Asseel (Dhahran, SA)
Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
C10G11/04B01J21/04B01J21/063B01J21/066
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12680031
App. No.
18/311,633
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for processing hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide may include combining a hydrocarbon mixture with carbon dioxide to produce a reactant mixture, which may include at least 95 mol. % of the combination of the hydrocarbon mixture and the carbon dioxide. The molar ratio of carbon dioxide to the hydrocarbon mixture in the reactant mixture may be from 0.01 to 100. The hydrocarbon mixture may include from 30 mol. % to 90 mol. % of propane, 5 mol. % to 50 mol. % of n-butane, and 5 mol. % to 50 mol. % of iso-butane. The method may also include contacting the reactant mixture with a catalyst in a reactor to produce a product mixture and passing the product mixture out of the reactor. The product mixture may include from 5 mol. % to 50 mol. % of one or more olefins, 1 mol. % to 25 mol. % of hydrogen gas, and 1 mol. % to 25 mol. % of carbon monoxide.

Claims (33)

1 . A method for processing hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide, the method comprising:

combining a hydrocarbon mixture with carbon dioxide to produce a reactant mixture, wherein the reactant mixture comprises at least 95 mol. % of the combination of the hydrocarbon mixture and the carbon dioxide, wherein the molar ratio of carbon dioxide to the hydrocarbon mixture in the reactant mixture is from 0.01 to 100, and wherein the hydrocarbon mixture comprises:

from 30 mol. % to 90 mol. % of propane;

from 5 mol. % to 50 mol. % of n-butane; and

from 5 mol. % to 50 mol. % of iso-butane;

contacting the reactant mixture with a catalyst in a reactor to produce a product mixture; and

passing the product mixture out of the reactor, wherein the product mixture comprises:

from 5 mol. % to 50 mol. % of one or more olefins;

from 1 mol. % to 25 mol. % of hydrogen gas; and

from 1 mol. % to 25 mol. % of carbon monoxide.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises:

an alkali or alkaline earth metal oxide;

an oxide of titanium;

aluminum oxide; and

an oxide of zirconium.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst comprises

from 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. % of one or more of Na 2 O, K 2 O, MgO, CaO, SrO, BeO, and BaO;

from 45 wt. % to 90 wt. % of TiO 2 ;

from 10 wt. % to 40 wt. % of Al 2 O 3 ; and

from 1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of ZrO 2 .

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst comprises a TiO 2 support coated with one or more of Na 2 O, K 2 O, MgO, CaO, SrO, BeO, and BaO that is bound with Al 2 O 3 and coated with ZrO 2 .

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst does not comprise one or more of platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, or gold.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon mixture is liquefied petroleum gas.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of the carbon dioxide to the hydrocarbon mixture in the reactant mixture is from 1 to 25.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein from 1 mol. % to 70 mol. % of the carbon dioxide in the reactant mixture is converted to carbon monoxide.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein from 20 mol. % to 80 mol. % of the hydrocarbon mixture is converted to the one or more olefins.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactor comprises at least two swing reactors.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more olefins comprise one or more of ethylene, propylene, isobutene, 1-butene, 2-trans-butene, and 2-cis-butene.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the product mixture further comprise from 1 mol. % to 50 mol. % of ethane and methane.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactant mixture contacts the catalyst in the reactor at a temperature of from 450° C. to 700° C.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

separating an unreacted hydrocarbon mixture and carbon dioxide from the product mixture, wherein the unreacted hydrocarbon mixture comprises chemical species of the hydrocarbon mixture; and

passing the unreacted hydrocarbon mixture and carbon dioxide back to the reactor.