02 Liquid fuels (economics, business, marketing, policy)
Colourless markers for petroleum products and methods and compo-
sition for detecting them arc disclosed. The systems contain (I) a
petroleum product which forms an organic phase. (2) a marker
substance dissolved in the petroleum product, and (3) a non-aq. acid
combined with the marker substance in the organic phase to develop (I
detectable colour.
03/02166 Present situation and future development of
industrial Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process
Tsubaki, N. and Ikushima, K. Ni~~~~nEmwqi Gakkui,v/ri, 2002. 8 I, (I I),
981 9X7. (In Japanese)
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is a key technology of gas to liquid process.
The gas-phase. liquid-phase, supercritical-phase Fischer-Tropsch
reaction processes are analysed. Slurry-phase reaction, one of the
liquid-phase reactions, is the most promising and widely used
technology. This synthesis is divided to two types. One is the low
temperature process for wax and liquid saturated hydrocarbon
production, mainly for the fuel market. The other is the high
temperature process for naphtha, gasoline and olefin synthesis, aiming
at the chemicals and polymer market. Coupled with side technology,
isoparaffin synthesis is also available. Technology development trend
and plant process are compared for various major Fischer-Tropsch
synthesis companies including Japanese ongoing process.
03/02169 Process for the desulfurization of a light FCC
naphtha
Vichailak, M. ef ul. PCT Int. Appl. WO 03 25.095 (Cl. CIOG), 27 Mar
2003, US Appl. 953.801
‘The invention relates to a process for the desulfurization of a light
boiling range fluid catalytically cracked naphtha, which may be first
subjected to a thioetherification to react the diolefins with mercaptans
contained in it to form sulfides. This fed to a high pressure (>250 psig)
catalytic distillation hydrodesulfurization step along with hydrogen
under conditions to react most of the organic sulfur compounds,
including sulfides from the thioetherification to from H2S. The HZS
and a light product stream are removed as overheads. The bottoms
from the catalytic distillation hydrodesulfurization step is fractionated
and the bottoms from the fractionation contacted with hydrogen in a
straight pass hydrogenation step in the presence of a hydrodesulfur-
ization catalyst at pressure of >2SO and temperature >40O”F to further
reduce the sulfur content.
03/02170 Recent development of Fischer-Tropsch
synthesis catalyst
Bian, G. (‘I crl. Nipl,o/? D~c,rrl,~iGrrkL<~i.vhi.2002. 8 I. (1 I j. 974-980. (In
Japanese)
Fischer-Tropsch oil is receiving much attention as ultra-clean motor
fuel. In this review. firstlv the needs for F-T oil, the reaction
mechanism of F-T synthesi;, ASF distribution. and the conventional
catalysts are introduced. Secondly, the recent development of F-T-
catalysts is introduced with respect to the promoting effect of Ir (Rh)
on Fe (Co) catalyst, the formation and the role of surface carbide, and
the important effect of pore size of MCM41 and SBAIS on mass-
transfer of the products. Finally, the recent extension to the direct
synthesis of iso-paraffin, the reaction in supercritical phase. and CO?
transformation to motor fuel are introduced.
03/02171 Science and technology of novel processes for
deep desulfurization of oil refinery streams: a review
Babich, I. V. and Moulijn, J. A. Fue/, 2003. 82. (6). 607-631.
Oil refinery related catalysis, particularly hydrodesulfurization (HDS)
processes, is viewed as a mature technology and it is often stated that
break-throughs are not to be expected. Although this could be a
justified compliment to those who developed this area, at the same
time it could also stifle potential new ideas. The applicability and
perspectives of various desulfurization technologies are evaluated
taking into account the requirements of the produced fuels. The
progress achieved during recent years in catalysis-based HDS
technologies (synthesis of improved catalysts, advanced reactor design,
combination of distillation and HDS) and in ‘non-HDS’ processes of
sulfur removal (alkylation, extraction, precipitation, oxidation, and
adsorption) is illustrated through a number of examples. The discussed
technologies of sulfur removal from the refinery streams lead to a
wealth of research topics. Only an integrated approach (catalyst
selection, reactor design, process configuration) will lead to novel,
efficient desulfurization processes producing fuels with zero sulfur
emissions.
03/02172 Shale-oil-derived additives for fuel oils
Raidma, E. et N/. Oil Shule, 2002, 19, (4). 419-424.
The oxidation, wearing, and anticorrosive properties of shale oil as an
additive to liquid fuels and oils enable to improve the conditions of
their use. Shale oil fractions boiling points 230-320 and 320-360°C are
efficient and stable additives for liquid fuels to improve their
combustion and storage properties, In the production of additives
362 Fuel and Energy Abstracts November 2003
Iron1 bhale 011 the prerequisite taken Into account is its complexity ot
composition and high concentralion of neutral and phenolic oxygen
compounds Additives produced from shale oil have multifunctional
properties which enable the improvement of operational data of liquid
fuels and the pouel of d&cl engirrcv and boilers to he increased.
03/02173 Strategic interaction on the UK Gas
Transportation System: the St. Fergus and Bacton
constraints
Pagliero. M. I<~~<,~~~Eco,zo,>T,(‘.\.
2003. 25. (4). 345-35X.
In Summer and Autumn 19YXa series of singular events put at risk the
balance of the National Gas Transportation System in the UK.
Strategic hehaviuur of shippers has been regarded as the main cause
of the instability of the market. In this paper a model of shippers’
behaviour is proposed in order to explain the reasons for such unusual
events. which exposed some fundamental inefficiencies of the gas
trading arrangements in use. The events that occurred in 1998 show the
relevance of strategic interaction on the transportation system and
suggest the importance of a deeper understanding of the incentives
faced by shippers in the growing European gas markets.
Economics, business, marketing, policy
03/02174 A computable general equilibrium treatment of oil
shocks and U.S. economic growth
Boyd, R. G. and Doroodian, K. The Jotwnal of'Ener,q md Devrlop-
ment.2002,27,(1). 43-68.
Since the 197Os,the US economy has become vulnerable to foreign oil
prices. Fluctuations in these prices have greatly impacted oil-based
industries in particular and the US economy in general. This, in turn,
has drawn many economists to study the quantitative impact of such oil
price volatility. A number of econometric studies have provided
evidence of the significant economic impact of changes in energy
prices, and policy makers have suggested various strategies for dealing
with the negative consequences of these price shocks. The importance
of petroleum varies greatly within the aggregate US economy, with
some sectors being far more dependent on foreign oil than others.
Similarly, an oil price shock cannot be expected to have the same
impact on all economic agents. In this study then, we make use of a
dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, which divides
the US economy into a number of different economic sectors and
income classes. The model is designed to quantify the economic
linkages between sectors and thus it allows us to consider the effect of
foreign oil-price shocks on intersectoral capital formation. Further-
more, since it is dynamic it allows us to see the role played by
intertemporal price expectations on ongoing investment, the size of the
capital stock, economic growth, and the distribution of income over
time. In this article, a brief background is given on the role that foreign
oil plays in the US economy, paying particular attention to the expected
growth in demand for foreign oil in the next half century. In the
subsequent section. the dynamic CGE model itself and our data
sources are described. Thereafter. the impacts of future oil-price
shocks on US producers, consumers, and the government over a 47-
year time horizon are simulated. Finally, conclusions and policy
implications of this analysis are discussed.
03/02175 Exploration can cause falling non-renewable
resource prices
Boyce, J. R. ef ul. EIIP~~QEronon~ics, 2003, 25, (4), 339%343.
This note shows that when marginal exploration costs are increasing in
the rate of exploration that it is possible to observe non-renewable
resource prices falling over a portion of the extraction profile. Thus,
while the model of Pindyck was based on an incorrect specification of
the aggregate extraction cost function, its general conclusion that
exploration can cause falling non-renewable resource prices is upheld.
This result is in contrast to Mendelsohn and Swierzbinski, who
assumed that marginal extraction costs were constant.
03/02176 Higher prices at Canadian gas pumps:
international crude oil prices or local market concentration?
An empirical investigation
Sen, A. Energy Economics. 2003. 25, (3). 269-288.
There is little consensus on whether higher retail gasoline prices in
Canada are the result of international crude oil price fluctuations or
local market power exercised by large vertically-integrated firms. I find
that although both increasing local market concentration and higher
average monthly wholesale prices are positively and significantly
associated with higher retail prices, wholesale prices are more
important than local market concentration. Similarly, crude oil prices
are more important than the number of local wholesalers in