Catalytic reforming

Catalytic reforming is a chemical process used to convert <a href="/facts/Petroleum_naphtha/36acq3lI">naphthas</a> from <a href="/facts/Crude_oil/IQV0bHVd">crude oil</a> into liquid products called reformates, which are premium "blending stocks" for high-octane <a href="/facts/Gasoline/lcnxq5BS">gasoline</a>. The process converts low-octane linear <a href="/facts/Hydrocarbon/Dcg95Ju5">hydrocarbons</a> (paraffins) into <a href="/facts/Branched_alkane/Qam7Hvmf">branched alkanes</a> (isoparaffins) and cyclic <a href="/facts/Naphthene/8dQAoD1N">naphthenes</a>, which are then partially <a href="/facts/Dehydrogenated/vwFAAqzp">dehydrogenated</a> to produce high-octane <a href="/facts/Aromatic_hydrocarbon/3EXq8Tgf">aromatic hydrocarbons</a>. The dehydrogenation also produces significant amounts of byproduct <a href="/facts/Hydrogen_gas/BoYHjl0J">hydrogen gas</a>, which is fed into other refinery processes such as <a href="/facts/Hydrocracking/EBLtwW4g">hydrocracking</a>. A side reaction is <a href="/facts/Hydrogenolysis/v8VT0Bx2">hydrogenolysis</a>, which produces light hydrocarbons of lower value, such as <a href="/facts/Methane/kBHneYnh">methane</a>, <a href="/facts/Ethane/BGCzc6yh">ethane</a>, <a href="/facts/Propane/E0b23KGh">propane</a> and <a href="/facts/Butanes/InIHpYlY">butanes</a>.

In addition to a gasoline blending stock, reformate is the main source of aromatic bulk chemicals such as <a href="/facts/Benzene/Fguue7nr">benzene</a>, <a href="/facts/Toluene/Pzdt8dwD">toluene</a>, <a href="/facts/Xylene/BEGggD9s">xylene</a> and <a href="/facts/Ethylbenzene/aVhfY3vX">ethylbenzene</a>, which have diverse uses, most importantly as raw materials for conversion into plastics. However, the benzene content of reformate makes it <a href="/facts/Carcinogenic/soH8Y9CE">carcinogenic</a>, which has led to governmental regulations effectively requiring further processing to reduce its benzene content.
Catalytic reforming is quite different from and not to be confused with the catalytic <a href="/facts/Steam_reforming/5lNIv6rr">steam reforming</a> process used industrially to produce products such as <a href="/facts/Hydrogen/BoYHjl0J">hydrogen</a>, <a href="/facts/Ammonia/MtLtJFtz">ammonia</a>, and <a href="/facts/Methanol/EIfpoNCg">methanol</a> from <a href="/facts/Natural_gas/9MYQ7NAP">natural gas</a>, naphtha or other petroleum-derived feedstocks. Nor is this process to be confused with various other catalytic reforming processes that use methanol or <a href="/facts/Biomass/4VHjaya3">biomass-derived</a> feedstocks to produce hydrogen for <a href="/facts/Fuel_cells/UcMYnCW3">fuel cells</a> or other uses.

Catalytic reforming open-in-new

Catalytic reforming