• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2008

The GTL(Gas to Liquids) technology, manufacturing synthesized oil from natural gas, had been developed about 1920 for the military purpose by Fischer and Tropsch, German scientists. And 1960, Sasol company had started commercializing the FT(Fischer-Tropsch) synthesis technology, for the transport fuel in South Africa. Until a recent date, the commercialization of GTL technology had been delayed by low oil price. But concern about depletion of petroleum resources, and development in synthesizing technology lead to spotlight on the GTL businesses. Especially, Qatar, which has rich natural gas fields, aims at utilizing natural gas like conventional oil resources. Therefore, around this nation, GTL plants construction has been promoted. There are mainly 3 processes to make GTL products(Diesel, Naphtha, lube oil, etc) from natural gas. The first is synthesis gas generation unit reforming hydrogen and carbomonoxide from natural gas. The second is FT synthesis unit converting synthesized gas to polymeric chain-hydrocarbon. The third is product upgrading unit making oil products from the FT synthesized oil. There are quite a little sulfur, nitrogen, and aromatic compounds in GTL products. GTL product has environmental premium in discharging less harmful particles than refinery oil products from crude to the human body. In short, the GTL is a clean technology, easier transportation mean, and has higher stability comparing to LNG works.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.93-103
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• 2006

Biogas is a byproduct after anaerobic digestion of organic materials and has been used as an energy source for heating and generating electricity. Demands of methanol for fuel mixed with gasoline and reactant in biodiesel production are steadily being increased. In this review, we summarized recent advancements in direct partial oxidation of methane to methanol with the brief history of methanol synthesis. The steam reforming and the catalytic oxidation of methane to methanol were compared, the former of which are mainly used in industrial scale and the latter in a stage of research and development. On the basis of this review, the possibility of methanol conversion from biogas was proposed in the aspects of the technological feasibility and the economical practicability.