【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Equipment】Full-process testing of the pilot plant for the dry reforming of carbon-rich natural gas to produce syngas was successfully completed from 2023 to 2025
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Let’s give praise and encouragement to the achievements made in China’s chemical technology and equipment sector; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Progress in Chemical Equipment】Continuous updates and summaries are available; feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** On April 18, 2025, the full-scale testing of the pilot plant for the dry reforming of carbon-rich natural gas to produce syngas at CNOOC Chemical Fudao Company was successfully completed. The dry reforming unit was officially put into operation on April 10. After its startup, the technical team carried out catalyst activation in accordance with the process experimental plan, successfully producing syngas that met the quality standards. During 8 consecutive days of operation, the device demonstrated good stability, with all process parameters being accurately maintained within the designed ranges. It is reported that this technology enables the utilization of carbon dioxide by reacting natural gas with it to produce syngas, which is of great significance for promoting a clean and low-carbon energy transition and helping to achieve the \"dual carbon\" goals. Next, Tomishima Company plans to increase the proportion of carbon dioxide in the feed gas to 50%, focusing on developing technologies for the coordinated control of the water-to-carbon ratio and hydrogen-to-carbon ratio under high carbon load conditions. At the same time, it will conduct tests to verify the stability of continuous operation of the facility, in order to provide empirical evidence for determining the ultimate parameters of the process.
I. Introduction to the Dry Reforming Unit of CNOOC Chemical Fudao Company: The dry reforming unit at CNOOC Chemical Fudao Company is a key facility for China’s first project aimed at the dry reforming of marine carbon-rich natural gas. This device is designed to process natural gas resources in the South China Sea that are rich in high concentrations of carbon dioxide (about 20%-70%), as the traditional methods of utilizing such gas result in high carbon emissions. By employing advanced dry reforming technology, Tomishima Corporation converts carbon dioxide and methane into syngas (carbon monoxide and hydrogen), thereby enabling the sustainable utilization of carbon resources. As a pilot demonstration project for China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s major scientific and technological initiatives, the construction of this dry reforming unit is of great significance for promoting the green development of high-carbon natural gas in the South China Sea. It provides technical support and experience accumulation for the subsequent large-scale exploitation of high-carbon natural gas resources. II. Technical Features and Scale: Advanced core technology: The facility utilizes methane-carbon dioxide dry reforming (CO₂TS technology), an innovative technique developed jointly by CNOOC Chemical, BASF, and China Fifth Ring Engineering. Through a steam-assisted dual reforming reaction, this technology enables the production of syngas with an adjustable hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, and it significantly improves the conversion rate of carbon dioxide; compared to traditional technologies, it offers clear advantages in terms of carbon utilization efficiency and conversion effectiveness. It boasts significant process advantages: in terms of carbon reduction, this dry reforming process makes use of carbon dioxide directly at the raw material stage, thereby reducing carbon emissions and enabling efficient carbon sequestration. This contributes positively to addressing global climate change and achieving low-carbon development. At the same time, it performs well in terms of integration at the downstream stage; the syngas produced can serve as an important raw material for manufacturing various chemical products such as methanol, acetic acid, and ethylene glycol, thereby extending the industrial chain and enhancing the comprehensive value of resource utilization. Technical scale: The production capacity of the dry reforming unit is 10,000 cubic meters of syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) per hour. The total construction period for the entire facility is 15 months, and it is planned to begin operations in February 2025. The scale of this device serves as a strong example in the industry, providing reliable data and practical experience to support larger-scale industrial applications in the future. III. Environmental and Economic Significance Environmental significance: The operation of dry reforming units plays a crucial role in helping to achieve the goals of \"carbon peak\" and \"carbon neutrality\". By recycling carbon dioxide, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, effectively lowering the carbon footprint associated with natural gas extraction. Against the backdrop of addressing global climate change, the application of such green conversion technologies provides an environmentally friendly and viable solution for the development of carbon-rich natural gas in the oceans, helping to protect the ecological environment and promote the sustainable development of the energy industry. High added value of products: The downstream products derived from syngas have a high added value; chemical products such as methanol, for example, have wide applications in the market and stable demand. Tomishima Company currently has an annual methanol production capacity of 1.4 million tons. The use of dry reforming technology helps to further optimize the methanol production process, reduce production costs, and improve product quality, thereby enhancing the company’s competitiveness in the chemical products market and increasing economic benefits. Potential for technology transfer: Upon its success, this project will provide a technical model for the development of carbon-rich natural gas worldwide, especially suitable for areas with similar high carbon dioxide gas fields. Through technology transfer and cooperation, it is possible to expand into international markets and achieve greater economic benefits, while also enhancing China’s international influence and voice in the field of offshore natural gas development.