Catalytic Reforming

In catalytic reforming, hydrogen is created as a byproduct, and is of high value in other refining processes; hydrogen is also produced in steam methane reforming processes. For reliable, clean hydrogen streams, refineries select our specialized hydrogen purification products, which remove water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, and methane to create an end product of high purity hydrogen. Catalysts are commonly used in petroleum refineries to convert straight run naphtha, which has a typically low octane rating, into reformates. Reformates are used in gasoline blending because of their high octane rating. The catalysts will facilitate the reformation, or rearrangement, of the molecular structure of low value hydrocarbons in naphtha feedstocks and creates a more complex hydrocarbon with a higher value.

Upgrading these low octane hydrocarbons creates a higher value product to increase profits for the refinery. While reforming naphtha, some byproducts are formed such as C1-C4 hydrocarbons. Catalytic reforming is a critical source of hydrogen, another byproduct from reforming, which is of high value in other refining processes.