A method of converting one or more alkanes to one or more alkenes that includes providing a first stream containing one or more alkanes and oxygen to an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor; converting at least a portion of the one or more alkanes to one or more alkenes in the oxidative dehydrogenation reactor to provide a second stream exiting the oxidative dehydrogenation reactor containing one or more alkanes, one or more alkenes, and one or more of oxygen, carbon monoxide and acetylene; and providing the second stream to a second reactor containing a catalyst that includes CuO and ZnO and reacting the second stream to provide a third stream exiting the second reactor containing one or more alkanes, one or more alkenes, and lower or undetectable levels of oxygen and acetylene compared to the second stream.

A method for preparing a mixed-metal oxide catalyst comprising molybdenum, vanadium, at least one of niobium or tantalum, and at least one of tellurium or antimony and useful for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene, the method comprising preparing a catalyst precursor, pressing the precursor into a dense pellet using a pressure of greater than about 5,000 psi, and annealing the pellet to form the mixed-metal oxide catalyst.

A method for preparing a mixed-metal oxide catalyst comprising molybdenum, vanadium, at least one of niobium or tantalum, and at least one of tellurium or antimony and useful for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene, the method comprising preparing a catalyst precursor, pressing the precursor into a dense pellet using a pressure of greater than about 5,000 psi, and annealing the pellet to form the mixed-metal oxide catalyst.

A method for preparing a mixed-metal oxide catalyst comprising molybdenum, vanadium, at least one of niobium or tantalum, and at least one of tellurium or antimony and useful for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene, the method comprising preparing a catalyst precursor, pressing the precursor into a dense pellet using a pressure of greater than about 5,000 psi, and annealing the pellet to form the mixed-metal oxide catalyst.

A process for preventing hazardous conditions at startup and shutdown of a reactor by sending an inert gas such as nitrogen to strip entrained oxygen from the catalyst when reactor temperatures are below about 240° C. During normal operation the entrained oxygen reacts with hydrocarbons to produce oxides but at the lower temperatures that are present at startup or shutdown these reactions do not occur sufficiently leaving oxygen that can cause hazardous conditions as temperatures increase upon startup. When the temperature is in the safe operating zone above 240° C., the nitrogen gas is stripped by air or other oxygen containing gas.

A process for preventing hazardous conditions at startup and shutdown of a reactor by sending an inert gas such as nitrogen to strip entrained oxygen from the catalyst when reactor temperatures are below about 240° C. During normal operation the entrained oxygen reacts with hydrocarbons to produce oxides but at the lower temperatures that are present at startup or shutdown these reactions do not occur sufficiently leaving oxygen that can cause hazardous conditions as temperatures increase upon startup. When the temperature is in the safe operating zone above 240° C., the nitrogen gas is stripped by air or other oxygen containing gas.

A catalyst for oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of ethane with an empirical formula Mo—V—Te—Nb—Pd—O produced using a process comprising impregnation of the Pd component on the surface of the catalyst following a calcination step using a Pd compound free of halogens. The resulting catalyst can be used in both diluted and undiluted ODH processes and shows higher than expected activity without any loss of selectivity.

A catalyst for oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of ethane with an empirical formula Mo—V—Te—Nb—Pd—O produced using a process comprising impregnation of the Pd component on the surface of the catalyst following a calcination step using a Pd compound free of halogens. The resulting catalyst can be used in both diluted and undiluted ODH processes and shows higher than expected activity without any loss of selectivity.

A catalyst for oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of ethane with an empirical formula Mo—V—Te—Nb—Pd—O produced using a process comprising impregnation of the Pd component on the surface of the catalyst following a calcination step using a Pd compound free of halogens. The resulting catalyst can be used in both diluted and undiluted ODH processes and shows higher than expected activity without any loss of selectivity.

The present disclosure provides natural gas and petrochemical processing systems including oxidative coupling of methane reactor systems that integrate process inputs and outputs to cooperatively utilize different inputs and outputs of the various systems in the production of higher hydrocarbons from natural gas and other hydrocarbon feedstocks.