Catalytic steam gasification of petroleum coke to methane

1. A process for converting petroleum coke to methane, comprising

combining petroleum coke and a catalyst having steam gasification activity in an aqueous medium to form a feed slurry;

introducing said feed slurry and superheated steam into a slurry drier to produce net steam and substantially dry solid particles of petroleum coke impregnated with catalyst;

reacting said dry solid particles with said net steam in a gasification reactor to form a raw product gas comprised of unreacted steam, methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide;

recovering methane from said raw product gas; and

controlling the concentration of catalyst in said aqueous medium based on the amount of ash in said petroleum coke.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said catalyst having steam gasification activity comprises one or more from the group consisting of alkali metals and alkali metal compounds.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein said alkali metal compounds are selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal bicarbonates, alkali metal formates, alkali metal oxalates, alkali metal amides, alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal acetates, and alkali metal sulfides.

4. The process of claim 2 wherein said catalyst comprises one or more alkali metal compounds selected from the group consisting of Na 2 CO 3 , K 2 CO 3 , Rb 2 CO 3 , Li 2 CO 3 , Cs 2 CO 3 , NaOH, KOH, RbOH and CsOH.

5. The process of claim 2 wherein said catalyst comprises potassium carbonate or potassium hydroxide.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein said potassium carbonate concentration in said aqueous medium is in the range of about 0.9 to 10 wt %.

7. A process for converting petroleum coke to methane, comprising:

combining petroleum coke and a catalyst having steam gasification activity in an aqueous medium to form a feed slurry;

introducing said feed slurry and superheated steam into a slurry drier to produce net steam and substantially dry solid particles of petroleum coke impregnated with catalyst;

reacting said dry solid particles and said net steam in a gasification reactor to form a raw product gas comprised of unreacted steam, methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide;

withdrawing a solid purge from said reactor, said solid purge comprising coke material and having catalyst incorporated therewith; cooling said raw product stream to condense unreacted steam to form sour water and a stream of cooled raw product gas;

recovering methane from said raw product gas;

contacting said solid purge with said sour water to dissolve said incorporated catalyst to form a dilute aqueous catalyst solution, and

returning said dilute aqueous catalyst solution to said feed slurry.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the solid purge from the gasification reactor is contacted with said sour water in a slurry vessel, and ammonia vapor is recovered from said slurry vessel.

9. The process of claim 7 wherein said dilute catalyst solution is contacted with a gas containing CO 2 before returning to said feed slurry.

10. The process of claim 7 wherein said dilute catalyst solution is stripped with said cooled raw product gas before returning to said feed slurry.

11. A process for gasifying petroleum coke comprising:

crushing petroleum coke to produce petroleum coke particles having a mesh size larger than about 325 mesh on the U.S. Standard Sieve Scale and a stream of petroleum coke fines;

combining said petroleum coke particles and at least part of said petroleum coke fines with a catalyst having steam gasification activity in an aqueous medium to form a feed slurry;

introducing said feed slurry and superheated steam into a slurry drier to produce net steam and substantially dry solid particles of petroleum coke impregnated with catalyst;

reacting said dry solid particles and said net steam in a gasification reactor.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein said petroleum coke particles range in size from 33 to 100 mesh.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein said reactor comprises a fluidized bed.

14. A process for converting petroleum coke to methane, comprising:

introducing dry petroleum coke, catalyst having steam gasification activity, and superheated steam to a gasification reactor;

reacting said coke, catalyst, and steam to form a raw product gas comprised of unreacted steam, methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide;

withdrawing a solid purge from said reactor, said solid purge comprising coke material and having catalyst incorporated therewith;

cooling said raw product stream to condense unreacted steam to form sour water and a stream of cooled raw product gas; contacting said solid purge with said sour water in a slurry vessel;

recovering ammonia vapor from said slurry vessel; and

recovering methane from said raw product gas.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein said net steam is combined with H 2 and CO and superheated prior to said gasification reactor.

16. The process of claim 7 wherein said net steam is combined with H 2 and CO and superheated prior to said gasification reactor.

17. The process of claim 14 wherein said superheated steam has been combined with H 2 and CO and superheated prior to said gasification reactor.

18. The process of claim 1 wherein the gasification reactor is maintained at a temperature between about 1000° F. and about 1500° F.

19. The process of claim 7 wherein the gasification reactor is maintained at a temperature between about 1000° F. and about 1500° F.

20. The process of claim 14 wherein the gasification reactor is maintained at a temperature between about 1000° F. and about 1500° F.