Skip to content
Contact us
Contact us
    Select language

    Methanol | Reforming

    Producing the synthesis gas (syngas) needed for methanol synthesis accounts for up to 60% of the operating costs of a typical methanol plant. This makes efficient and reliable syngas generation a critical factor in your plant design and overall plant profitability.

    Syngas production involves converting natural gas to a suitable stoichiometric syngas in the syngas generation section of your methanol plant. The conversion is normally carried out via tubular steam methane reforming (SMR), autothermal reforming (ATR), or a combination of these processes. To increase capacity or improve methanol reforming efficiency, these processes are sometimes combined with heat-exchange reforming, adiabatic pre-reforming and other technologies.

    Whichever process you choose, it must be highly efficient and reliable to ensure profitable operation. The following Topsoe processes are designed specifically to help you maximize efficiency without compromising on reliability.

    SynCOR technology

    An efficient and reliable technology, Topsoe SynCOR consists of a pre-reformer followed by an autothermal reformer. Both components operate at a uniquely low steam-to-carbon ratio (≤ 0.6). The low ratio means energy savings, smaller methanol production equipment, and a smaller environmental footprint for your plant.

    Learn more

    Steam reforming

    Steam methane reforming (SMR) is a more conventional method for converting natural gas to syngas. Our side-fired SMR design features flexible tube-wall temperature control, which offers multiple benefits. It enables operators to adjust the firing to maintain the desired temperature and reduce the risk of hot bands and potential tube rapture. It also allows for operation with lowest possible variation of tube temperature, leading to increased conversion of methane to syngas.

    These benefits make Topsoe SMR solutions some of the most widely used in the industry today.

    Exchange reforming

    Exchange reforming is a convenient and affordable method for adding extra capacity to your syngas generation unit. We offer several exchange reforming technologies that enable you to utilize waste heat and/or waste gas to boost capacity. One such technology is our HTER technology, which uses thermal energy in your reformer effluent to increase reforming capacity. Another is our HTCR technology, which adds reforming capacity using heat generated by natural gas, LPG, naphtha or off-gas.

    Learn more

    Adiabatic prereforming

    Adiabatic prereforming helps you maximize efficiency and boost reforming capacity using waste heat. Our adiabatic prereforming technology relies on the Topsoe AR-series catalyst. This catalyst features high resistance to carbon formation and a proven ability to operate with a steam-to-carbon ratio below 0.6. All this means greater flexibility, improved safety and lower energy consumption.

    Get in touch

    Rishika Chatterjee

    Rishika Chatterjee

    Contact our expert

    Related downloads

    Watch related videos

    TopClaus® video
    TopClaus® video Presentation video of the TopClaus® offering made in collaboration with our partner Comprimo
    Webinar: TopClaus® - New State of the Art in Sulphur Recovery
    Webinar: TopClaus® - New State of the Art in Sulphur Recovery TopClaus® combines two technologies, well-known to refinery operators; the Claus technology from Comprimo and the Wet gas Sulfuric Acid (WSA) process from Topsoe. Together forming a highly reliable ...
    Protect your profit with our Smarter Sulfur Solutions
    Protect your profit with our Smarter Sulfur Solutions Sulfurous emissions standards are tightening worldwide, forcing industrial, chemical, refining, and metallurgical operations to compromise profitability to meet legal requirements. Sometimes a ...
    Science at Topsoe: Syngas Generation Technology Development
    Science at Topsoe: Syngas Generation Technology Development Can we change the way we think about chemical industry? See Peter explain how using electricity in chemical production can reduce CO2 emissions from a chemical plant and make it more sustainable.
    New perspective for methanol plants
    New perspective for methanol plants Catalyst selection process for methanol plant is extremely complicated. Improve your future profitability by following the right catalyst selection process.
    Webinar: The more profitable way to cut sulfur emissions
    Webinar: The more profitable way to cut sulfur emissions
    WSA - Wet gas Sulfuric Acid for metallurgical applications
    WSA - Wet gas Sulfuric Acid for metallurgical applications Meet Gabriel Gutiérrez Claverí, Gerente General from Molyb that depends on Topsoes WSA technology.
    Webinar: Ammonia plant revamp options for more efficient operations
    Webinar: Ammonia plant revamp options for more efficient operations In the coming years a number of new large scale fertilizer facilities will come onstream. These plants will feature the most energy efficient process layouts available and will therefore have a ...
    Webinar: Using CO2 to boost methanol production
    Webinar: Using CO2 to boost methanol production Recorded webinar from May 2016. Per Juhl Dahl goes through the benefits of using CO2 import to boost methanol production. Read more about Topsoe methanol offerings.
    New research shows how to ‘tune’ methanol catalysts
    New research shows how to ‘tune’ methanol catalysts Get a fast introduction to a groundbreaking Topsoe research on more effective methanol catalysts from Senior Researcher Jens Sehested, one of the authors behind the article published in the ...
    SynCOR™ – Step up your business
    SynCOR™ – Step up your business SynCOR™ - technology for large-scale plants offers the market’s lowest total cost of ownership and 70 years of proven reliability and safe, continuous operation.
    Your're in charge - SK-501 Flex™
    Your're in charge - SK-501 Flex™ The first iron-free HTS catalyst for commercial application lets you choose between boosting your production of ammonia, hydrogen or syngas or save on energy and feedstock. Topsoe introduces the ...
    Introduction to WSA technology
    Introduction to WSA technology The WSA process is a wet gas catalytic process. The concentrated sulfuric acid is produced by condensation from a wet process gas. Drying of the process gas prior to treatment in a WSA plant ...
    Technical Service provided for WSA customers
    Technical Service provided for WSA customers Technical service provided to Topsoes current WSA customers, and how it makes a difference. Telephone support, email support, site visits, data analysis. Watch the customer testimonials and follow a ...

    Applications within this area