IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,515,949
Granted Patent B2
US 12,515,949 · App. 18/482,261 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Black powder catalyst for hydrogen production via steam reforming

Inventors: Ahmad A. Wedhaya (Dhahran, SA); Bandar A. Fadhel (Dhahran, SA); Mohammed A. Albuali (Dammam, SA); Rami Bamagain (Khobar, SA)
Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
C01B3/40B01J8/065B01J23/745B01J37/08B01J2235/00B01J2235/15C01B2203/0233C01B2203/1047
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,515,949
App. No.
18/482,261
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A steam reforming catalyst that includes treated black powder (primarily hematite), and a method of treating black powder (e.g., from a natural gas pipeline) to give the treated black powder. A steam reformer having the treated black powder as reforming catalyst, and a method of producing syngas with the steam reformer.

Claims (14)

1 . A method of preparing a reforming catalyst for steam reforming methane, comprising:

receiving black powder comprising carbon and iron, wherein the black powder comprising a solid formed in a steel hydrocarbon gas pipeline by corrosion of the steel hydrocarbon gas pipeline;

removing the carbon from the black powder by heating the black powder at a first temperature of 500° C. for at least 3 hours and

heating the black powder in presence of air at a second temperature from 700° C. to 800° C. for at least 4 hours to give calcined black powder as the reforming catalyst, wherein the calcined black powder comprises hematite.

2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising collecting the black powder from the steel hydrocarbon gas pipeline.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature is 775° C.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating at the second temperature in presence of air cause a formation of at least a portion of the hematite.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hematite is at least 50 weight percent of the calcined black powder.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hematite is at least 80 weight percent of the calcined black powder.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the black powder comprises iron oxides, silica, a metal carbonate, a hydroxide, and a sulfide iron carbonate.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the black powder comprises oxygen (O), magnesium (Mg), silicon (Si), sulfur(S), chlorine (Cl), calcium (Ca), and manganese (Mn).

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the black powder comprises hematite and magnetite.

10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the black powder is collected from the steel hydrocarbon gas pipeline between a wellhead and a natural gas processing plant.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the black powder is collected from a filter in the steel hydrocarbon gas pipeline.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2024
From: WEDHAYA, AHMAD A.; FADHEL, BANDAR A.; ALBUALI, MOHAMMED A.; BAMAGAIN, RAMI
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 066444/0566 →
Continuity (2)
Division 17140236 · Jan 4, 2021
Related Publication 20240034623A1 · Feb 1, 2024
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