The invention relates to the conversion of paraffinic hydrocarbon to oligomers of greater molecular weight and/or to aromatic hydrocarbon. The invention also relates to equipment and materials useful in such conversion, and to the use of such conversion for, e.g., natural gas upgrading. Corresponding olefinic hydrocarbon is produced from the paraffinic hydrocarbon in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst containing a catalytically active carbonaceous component. The corresponding olefinic hydrocarbon is then converted by oligomerization and/or dehydrocyclization in the presence of at least one molecular sieve catalyst.

A process and catalyst for use therein for the production of aromatics via the oxidative coupling of methane and methane co-aromatization with higher hydrocarbons in a single reaction stage. First, methane is partially converted to ethane and ethylene on an OCM catalyst component, and the OCM intermediate mixture containing methane, ethane and ethylene is subsequently converted into aromatics on an aromatization catalyst component. The reaction may be conducted at 550-850 C. and at about 50 psig. The claimed process and catalyst used therein achieves high methane conversion at lower temperatures (less than 800 C.), higher methane conversion into the aromatic products and significant reductions in production cost when compared to the traditional two (or more) step processes.

The present invention relates to a catalytically active composition for the selective methanation of carbon monoxide in reformate streams comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide, comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, nickel and cobalt as active component and rhenium as dopant on a support material. The catalyst according to the invention is preferably used for carrying out methanation reactions in a temperature range from 100 to 300 C. for use in the production of hydrogen for fuel cell applications.

The invention relates to a process for converting paraffin to olefin comprising the following steps: (a) providing a hydrocarbon feedstock containing at least one paraffin having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and at least one olefin having 2 to 12 carbon atoms; (b) providing a catalyst containing at least one Group VIA and/or Group VIIA transition metal on a solid support; (c) pretreating the catalyst by contacting the catalyst with at least one reducing gas and at least one oxidizing gas; and (d) contacting the hydrocarbon feedstock and the pretreated catalyst at a temperature in the range of 200 C. to 600 C., preferably 320 C. to 450 C. and to a catalyst for use therein.

A novel catalyst blend for processing of feedstocks into monoaromatics in a single stage, comprising at least one cracking catalyst, one heterogeneous transition metal catalyst, and optionally at least one hydrogenation catalyst. The process occurs in one-step or single stage with substantially no solvents or external additives, or when the feedstock contains less than 15% oxygen, the process includes additional water or steam to enable sufficient amounts of H.sub.2 being produced in-situ.

The invention relates to a process for converting paraffin to olefin comprising the following steps: (a) providing a hydrocarbon feedstock containing at least one paraffin having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and at least one olefin having 2 to 12 carbon atoms; (b) providing a catalyst containing at least one Group VIA and/or Group VIIA transition metal on a solid support; (c) pretreating the catalyst by contacting the catalyst with at least one reducing gas and at least one oxidizing gas; and (d) contacting the by hydrocarbon feedstock and the pretreated catalyst at a temperature in the range of 200 C. to 600 C., preferably 320 C. to 450 C. and to a catalyst for use therein.

A novel catalyst blend for processing of feedstocks into monoaromatics in a single stage, comprising at least one cracking catalyst, one heterogeneous transition metal catalyst, and optionally at least one hydrogenation catalyst. The process occurs in one-step or single stage with substantially no solvents or external additives, or when the feedstock contains less than 15% oxygen, the process includes additional water or steam to enable sufficient amounts of H.sub.2 being produced in-situ.

The invention relates to the conversion of paraffinic hydrocarbon to oligomers of greater molecular weight and/or to aromatic hydrocarbon. The invention also relates to equipment and materials useful in such conversion, and to the use of such conversion for, e.g., natural gas upgrading. Corresponding olefinic hydrocarbon is produced from the paraffinic hydrocarbon in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst containing a catalytically active carbonaceous component. The corresponding olefinic hydrocarbon is then converted by oligomerization and/or dehydrocyclization in the presence of at least one molecular sieve catalyst.

Systems and methods for carrying out metathesis reaction by utilizing one or more side reactors to a reactive distillation column is disclosed. The one or more side reactors is used to effect a reactive pump-around process. The systems and methods are used for equilibrium limited reactions such as the metathesis of C.sub.4 olefins.

Embodiments of a metathesis process for producing propylene comprise providing a metathesis catalyst comprising an amorphous mesoporous silica foam impregnated with metal oxides, where the metathesis catalyst has a pore size distribution of at least 3 nm to 40 nm and a total pore volume of at least 0.700 cm.sup.3/g. The process further involves producing a product stream comprising propylene by contacting a feed stream comprising butene with the metathesis catalyst.