Current projects:

MTO: Methanol Conversion to Olefins
OCM: Oxidative Coupling of Methane to make ethylene
SG-FT: Syngas-Fisher-Tropsch process to make hydrocarbons

MTO: Methanol Conversion to Olefins

Lower olefins, especially ethylene and propylene, are the most important olefins. Current commercial production of ethylene and propylene is through steam-cracking technology using typical feeds such as ethane (for production of ethylene), NGL (liquefied natural gas), naphtha, and heavier feeds such hydrogenated vacuum distillates. Methanol conversion to olefins (MTO) provides an alternative route to produce ethylene and propylene. More importantly, MTO utilizes methanol as feed, which is commercially produced from natural gas (methane). Therefore, MTO provides ethylene and propylene from natural gas, other than the current steam-cracking technology. Research here focuses on reaction engineering and reactor design to obtain high olefin selectivity.

OCM: Oxidative Coupling of Methane to Ethylene

Current commercial production of ethylene depends on availability of ethane and heavier petroleum distillates through steam-cracking technology. For the abundant supply of the major component of natural gas, methane, the current technology can't help in manufacturing ethylene. OCM provides an alternative route to produce ethylene. Research here focuses on the catalysis, reaction engineering and kinetics.

SG-FT: Syngas-Fisher-Tropsch process to make hydrocarbons

Converting natural gas into syngas and then into hydrocarbons to produce gasoline or diesel offers another production route of transportation fuels. Research here focuses on the catalysis, reaction engineering, kinetics and the combination of syngas production and F-T process.