Utilization of Methane Gas Stranded in Remote Areas

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Methane (CH₄) is the simplest hydrocarbon and is the principal component of natural gas. It is abundant throughout the world including significant reserves in the United States. The transportation of methane is difficult because it is a combustible gas and requires impractical and expensive gas pipelines and liquefaction stations. Currently methane is converted into more useful chemicals and fuels by costly and inefficient methods that require high temperatures and pressures. A direct process for conversion of methane into other valuable, portable chemicals would allow the use of untapped remote reserves of natural gas to be used as a primary source for fuels and chemicals. Our goal is to develop new organometallic catalysts that will directly transform methane into methanol or longer chain alkanes.

Technical details on our current research in this area:

Oxidative Oligomerization of Methane

Development of a Methane / Methanol Fuel Cell

New Generation of Electrophilic Oxidation Catalysts

Cyclization of Alkanes to form Aromatic Molecules