The invention discloses a novel method for preparation of highly active and selective dehydrogenation catalyst, comprising of metal oxide of group VIB elements of periodic table, and at least one metal oxide from group IA and/or group VIII, supported on alumina or silica or mixture thereof, wherein the accessibility to active sites and dispersion of metal oxides is enhanced by the addition of carbonaceous material such as coke derived from coal or petroleum coke or any other form of carbon, during catalyst preparation and its combustion thereof during calcination.

The present invention relates to a catalytic composition which comprises microspheroidal alumina and an active component containing a mixture comprising Gallium and/or Gallium oxides, Tin and/or Tin oxides, a quantity ranging from 1 ppm to 500 ppm with respect to the total weight of the catalytic composition of platinum and/or platinum oxides, and oxides of alkaline and/or alkaline earth metals.

Processes for dehydrogenation of a hydrocarbon feedstock are described. The process can be run at lower H.sub.2/HC ratios and lower RITs while maintaining coke production at the same level as operation at higher H.sub.2/HC ratios and higher RITs without decreasing the yield per pass. Acceptable levels of coke were achieved when operating the process at low hydrogen to hydrocarbon molar ratio in the range of 0.01 to 0.40 and reactor inlet temperatures in the range of 500-645 C. The process uses a low coke catalyst.

Large pill dehydrogenation catalysts and large screens slot width are combined in dehydrogenation units to reduce the pressure drop across the catalyst bed and reactor screens compared to conventional screen and catalyst size combinations. The catalyst has an average pill diameter in the range of 1.6 mm to 3.0 mm, and the slot width of the screen is in the range of about 30% to about 60% of the pill diameter.

A process for producing ethylene comprising (a) contacting a reactant mixture with an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) catalyst in the presence of a chlorine intermediate precursor in a reactor to yield a product mixture, wherein the reactant mixture comprises methane and oxygen, wherein the product mixture comprises ethylene, ethane, and unreacted methane, and wherein the OCM catalyst comprises an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, or both; and (b) recovering at least a portion of the ethylene from the product mixture. Yielding the product mixture in step (a) further comprises (i) allowing a first portion of the reactant mixture to react via an OCM reaction, (ii) allowing at least a portion of the chlorine intermediate precursor to generate a chlorine intermediate, and (iii) allowing a second portion of the reactant mixture to react via the chlorine intermediate.

Methods of performing a startup of an oxidative coupling of methane reaction to produce C2+ hydrocarbons are described. The methods can include incrementally varying startup parameters of the oxidative methane reactor and using the feed gas as a coolant such that high C2+ hydrocarbon selectivity is achieved.

The present disclosure relates to dehydrogenation catalysts based on one or more certain group 13 and group 14 elements that further include additional metal components, to methods for making such catalysts, and to methods for dehydrogenating hydrocarbons using such catalysts. One aspect of the disclosure provides a calcined dehydrogenation catalyst that includes a primary species P1 selected from the group consisting of Ga, In, TI, Ge, Sn and Pb and combinations thereof; a primary species P2 selected from the lanthanides; a promoter M1 selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd and Pt; a promoter M2 selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba, on a silica-alumina support.

Disclosed is a catalyst comprising: a composition having a formula BN.sub.xM.sub.yO.sub.z wherein B represents boron, N represents nitrogen, M comprises a metal or metalloid, and O represents oxygen, x ranges from 0 to 1, y ranges from 0.01 to 5.5; and z ranges from 0 to 16.5. The catalyst may be suitable for converting alkanes to olefins.

Nanowires useful as heterogeneous catalysts are provided. The nanowire catalysts are prepared by polymer templated methods and are useful in a variety of catalytic reactions, for example, the oxidative coupling of methane to ethane and/or ethylene. Related methods for use and manufacture of the same are also disclosed.

A catalytic material for oxidative coupling of methane includes: a catalyst with the formula A.sub.aB.sub.bC.sub.cO.sub.x, wherein: A is selected from alkaline earth metals; B and C are selected from rare earth metals, and wherein B and C are different rare earth metals; and the oxide of at least A, B, and C has basic, redox, or both basic and redox properties, and wherein the elements A, B, and C are selected to create a synergistic effect whereby the catalytic material provides an oxygen conversion of greater than or equal to 50% and a C.sub.2.sup.+ selectivity of greater than or equal to 70%, and wherein the catalyst provides the oxygen conversion and selectivity at a temperature of 797 F. (425 C.) or greater. The catalyst can be used in an oxidative coupling of methane reactor at lower feed temperatures compared to other catalysts.