A volume of natural gas including a volume of methane and a volume of other alkanes may be cleaned of the other alkanes using a steam reformer system to create synthesis gas.

Disclosed is method for removing carbonyl sulphide and/or carbon disulphide from a sour gas stream. The method comprises subjecting the gas stream to simultaneous contact with an absorption liquid, such as an aqueous amine solution, and with a catalyst suitable for hydrolyzing carbonyl sulphide and/or carbon disulphide. To this end, the invention also provides a reactor system wherein both an absorption liquid and a catalyst are present. In a preferred embodiment, the catalyst is a heterogeneous catalyst present on or in an absorption column, either coated on the trays of a column with trays, or contained in the packing of a packed column.

Systems and methods for purifying crude propane streams are provided herein. For example, in some embodiments, methods are provided including passing a crude propane stream to a fixed bed reactor containing a Beta zeolite configured to reduce the propylene oxide content of the crude propane stream and produce a propylene-treated stream and contacting the propylene-treated stream with an acetaldehyde scavenger to produce a treated propane stream. In some embodiments, methods are provided including passing a crude propane stream through a water wash system to provide a treated propane stream having a lower propylene oxide content, a lower acetaldehyde content, or both.

Systems and methods for purifying crude propane streams are provided herein. For example, in some embodiments, methods are provided including passing a crude propane stream to a fixed bed reactor containing a Beta zeolite configured to reduce the propylene oxide content of the crude propane stream and produce a propylene-treated stream and contacting the propylene-treated stream with an acetaldehyde scavenger to produce a treated propane stream. In some embodiments, methods are provided including passing a crude propane stream through a water wash system to provide a treated propane stream having a lower propylene oxide content, a lower acetaldehyde content, or both.

A process for producing an isomerized product comprises sending a feed stream comprising butanes, hydrogen and an organic chloride to a butane isomerization reactor containing an isomerization catalyst to convert a portion of normal butanes in said feed stream to iso-butanes in an isomerized stream. The isomerized stream to a stabilizer column to produce a butane stream containing normal, iso-butanes and C5 hydrocarbons; the butane stream is sent to a column to produce an isomerized upper stream and a bottoms stream comprising a mixture of butanes, C5 hydrocarbons and organic chloride. The bottoms stream is sent to an organic chloride decomposition reactor to produce a mixture of HCl, hydrogen and hydrocarbons.

A process for producing an isomerized product comprises sending a feed stream comprising butanes, hydrogen and an organic chloride to a butane isomerization reactor containing an isomerization catalyst to convert a portion of normal butanes in said feed stream to iso-butanes in an isomerized stream. The isomerized stream to a stabilizer column to produce a butane stream containing normal, iso-butanes and C5 hydrocarbons; the butane stream is sent to a column to produce an isomerized upper stream and a bottoms stream comprising a mixture of butanes, C5 hydrocarbons and organic chloride. The bottoms stream is sent to an organic chloride decomposition reactor to produce a mixture of HCl, hydrogen and hydrocarbons.

The invention relates to a process for conversion of a stream comprising methane and ethane, comprising converting ethane from a stream comprising methane and ethane, in which stream the volume ratio of methane to ethane is of from 0.005:1 to 100:1, to a product having a vapor pressure at 0 C. lower than 1 atmosphere, resulting in a stream comprising methane and the product having a vapor pressure at 0 C. lower than 1 atmosphere; separating the product having a vapor pressure at 0 C. lower than 1 atmosphere from the stream comprising methane and the product having a vapor pressure at 0 C. lower than 1 atmosphere, resulting in a stream comprising methane; and chemically converting methane from the stream comprising methane, or feeding methane from the stream comprising methane to a network that provides methane as energy source, or liquefying methane from the stream comprising methane.

This invention relates to a mixed metal oxides adsorbent which comprises: a) an oxide of a first metal which is selected from a metal in oxidation state +1, a metal in oxidation state +2, and mixtures thereof; and b) an oxide of a second metal which is selected from a metal in oxidation state +3, a metal in oxidation state of +4, and mixtures thereof; wherein at least one of the first metal or the second metal comprises a transition metal selected from Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and mixtures thereof.

According to one or more embodiments presently described, a feedstock oil may be processed by a method which may include hydrotreating the feedstock oil to reduce or remove one or more of sulfur content, metals content, nitrogen content, or aromatics content to produce a hydrotreated oil stream; separating at least a portion of the hydrotreated oil stream into a at least a lesser boiling point oil fraction stream and a greater boiling point oil fraction stream in a first separator; hydrocracking the greater boiling point oil fraction stream; and steam cracking the lesser boiling point oil fraction stream.

A process is described for obtaining high-purity 1-butene starting from C.sub.4 hydrocarbon mixtures containing isobutene, n-butane, isobutane, 1,3-butadiene, 1-butene, 2-butenes and also optionally C.sub.3 and C.sub.5 hydrocarbons, comprising the following stages: conversion of isobutene effected in a double stage, wherein each stage consists of one or more reactors followed by a distillation column for the recovery of the reaction product; recovery of the excess alcohol; recovery of 1-butene using at least two distillation columns; characterised in that it also uses a further conversion stage, consisting of one or more reactors in series, for completing the isobutene removal.