Multi-fuel syngas infrastructures in seaports

Abstract

Large scale energy conversion processes, like refineries and power plant are often located in a harbor industrial cluster. They heavily rely upon a single type of energy carrier and thus are vulnerable to price and availability variations. In the article we introduce the multi-fuel syngas infrastructure. It comprises fuel flexible gasifiers, a gas distribution network and syngas conversion processes. At a fuel input rate of hundreds of petajoules it can convert the optimal mix of natural gas, oil, coal, biomass and residues simultaneously to the required product portfolio. The freedom to pick the cheapest energy source at any time results in a balanced and relative low syngas price. Due to the feedstock flexibility annual gross revenues can be expected - in the range of 1-10 billion dollars for world-scale clusters. A multi-fuel syngas infrastructure thus will significantly contribute to the growth, strength and continuity of seaport regions.