Scientists of Perm National Research Polytechnic university have developed a unique installation for producing methanol directly from oil fields. This technology makes it possible to reduce the cost of the most important reagent several times and solve an acute environmental problem in the industry.
The new development is a compact block-modular complex. Its key advantage is the ability to work directly in the field, using associated petroleum gas as a raw material, which previously was most often simply burned. This is not only cost-effective, but also helps businesses strictly adhere to modern environmental standards.
Methanol is critical to oil production. It prevents the formation of ice plugs in pipes and is used as a reagent. However, its delivery to remote deposits complex and extremely expensive due to the dangerous properties of the substance. The cost of producing methanol using the new technology directly on site is 3-4 times lower than purchasing it from large suppliers, taking into account logistics.
The installation is universal and is not limited to methanol. It is capable of producing other gas chemical products, adapting to the needs of a specific enterprise. This opens the way to the creation of small but highly efficient production facilities even in small and isolated fields.
The project is already protected by a patent and has reached a high degree of readiness. The next step will be the creation of a pilot industrial model. In the future, the complex can be scaled up to a productivity of 40 thousand tons per year, which will make the technology widespread and accessible to dozens of companies throughout Russia.
Thus, the innovation of Perm polytechnics simultaneously solves three key problems: it sharply reduces costs, helps the environment and gives new life to small deposits, providing the country with additional energy resources.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: naked-science.ru
Image: www1.ru
