Production of hydrocarbons from natural gas

1. A process for producing hydrocarbons from natural gas, the process including

in a cryogenic separation stage, cryogenically separating the natural gas to produce at least a methane stream and natural gas liquids;

in a reforming stage, reforming the methane stream to produce a synthesis gas which includes at least CO and H 2 ;

in a Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis stage, converting at least some of the CO and H 2 into a Fischer-Tropsch product which includes hydrocarbons;

in a Fischer-Tropsch product separation stage, separating a Fischer-Tropsch tail gas which includes at least CO and H 2 , methane and heavier than methane hydrocarbons from the Fischer-Tropsch product; and

recycling at least a portion of the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas to the cryogenic separation stage, where the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas is cryogenically separated into two or more streams, the cryogenic separation stage including a methane wash unit or column, with cooled natural gas serving as a reflux in the methane wash unit or column, and with methane recovered from the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas being recycled to the reforming stage for the production of synthesis gas.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , which includes withdrawing liquid and/or gaseous Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon products and other gases and vapours from the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis stage and, in the Fischer-Tropsch product separation stage, cooling the gases and vapours to condense liquid hydrocarbons and water present therein and to produce the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas, which includes unreacted hydrogen and carbon monoxide and light olefins.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis stage includes one or more low temperature Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis reactors and/or one or more high temperature Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis reactors.

4. The process as claimed in claim 3 , in which the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis stage employs an Fe-based catalyst.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas is cryogenically separated to produce an H 2 -rich stream.

6. The process as claimed in claim 5 , which includes in a water gas shift stage downstream of the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis stage, converting CO in the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas to CO 2 , producing more H 2 which is recovered in the H 2 -rich stream from the cryogenic separation stage.

7. The process as claimed in claim 5 , which includes using the H 2 -rich stream from the cryogenic separation stage to adjust the composition of the synthesis gas being fed to the one or more Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis reactors of the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis stage.

8. The process as claimed in claim 5 , which includes a product work-up stage in which the Fischer-Tropsch product is worked-up, with a portion of the H 2 -rich stream from the cryogenic separation stage being fed to the product work-up stage for hydrogenation.

9. The process as claimed in claim 1 , which includes in a CO 2 removal stage, removing CO 2 from the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas before the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas is recycled to the cryogenic separation stage.

10. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the cryogenic separation stage produces an inert stream, with the inert stream being purged.

11. The process as claimed in claim 10 , in which argon is recovered from the inert stream prior to purging the inert stream.

12. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the cryogenic separation stage produces one or more of an ethylene product stream, a propylene product stream, a butylenes product stream, a pentenes/pentanes and heavier alkenes/alkanes (naphtha) product stream, and a light paraffins stream.

13. The process as claimed in claim 12 , in which the light paraffins stream from the cryogenic separation stage is cracked to produce ethylene and propylene, and in which unconverted or uncracked light paraffins and products are separated in the cryogenic separation stage.

14. The process as claimed in claim 13 , which includes a product work-up stage, and in which an LPG stream is produced in the product work-up stage, with the LPG stream being cracked together with the light paraffins stream.

15. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the cryogenic separation stage produces one or more of a combined C 2 -product stream containing both ethylene and ethane, a combined C 3 -product stream containing both propylene and other C 3 's, a combined C 4 -product stream comprising butylene and other C 4 's and a naphtha product stream.

16. The process as claimed in claim 5 , in which the H 2 -rich stream from the cryogenic separation stage includes CO.

17. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which the cryogenic separation stage includes a plurality of separation units or steps, and in which natural gas and the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas are separately fed to the cryogenic separation stage.

18. The process as claimed in claim 17 , in which the cryogenic separation stage includes separation units or steps employing cooling cycles using light gasses selected from propylene, propane, ethylene, ethane, methane and/or gas mixtures including any of these light gasses.

19. The process as claimed in claim 1 , in which at least a portion of any sulphur species present in the natural gas is removed in the cryogenic separation stage so that the methane stream does not require further desulphurisation.

20. The process as claimed in claim 15 , which employs a naphtha cracker to crack naphtha from the cryogenic separation stage.