Sustainable Design of Shale Gas-to-Liquid Process Via Energy and Mass Integration

With the significant discoveries of shale gas reserves, there is a growing need for monetization pathways. Gas-to-liquid (GTL) technologies involving Fischer-Tropsch (FT) chemistry offer an attractive approach to producing liquid transportation fuels from shale gas. In order to enhance the effectiveness of GTL technologies, it is necessary to enhance the efficiency of mass and energy utilization in these facilities. Conservation of mass and energy usage within the facility and reduction of environmental emissions are key steps towards sustainable development. This paper presents a systematic approach to the design and integration of GTL plants. Focus is given to the use of energy and mass integration techniques to reduce the usage of shale-gas feedstock, enhance the process yield, optimize energy transfer, conversion, and utilization, and reduce gaseous and liquid emissions. Different forms of energy will be integrated through tri-generation (combined heat, power, and refrigeration). The interplay between mass and energy utilization will also be discussed. A case study is presented to illustrate the applicability of the proposed approach.