Chapter 1
Overview of Direct Methane Conversion
to Chemicals with C–O and C–C Bonds
1.1 Social Considerations and Global Circumstances
Surrounding Methane Consumption
The consumption of energy and the production of materials are essential for human
beings to live a comfortable lifestyle; accordingly, both primary energy consumption
and materials production have continually increased [1]. In 1965, the total primary
energy consumption worldwide was about 38 billion tons as oil equivalent; this figure
had increased to 153 billion tons in 2017 [2]. That is, in approximately 50 years, primary energy consumption has increased nearly four times. In 2017, more than 80%
of primary energy was derived from fossil resources with the following breakdown:
32.4% oil, 27.6% coal, 23.4% natural gas, 6.9% hydroelectricity, and 3.6% renewables. Because of their high consumption rate, fossil energy resources are dwindling;
oil will probably be depleted first, followed by natural gas and finally coal. Under
these circumstances, dramatic changes to the energy system will take place over the
coming decades. Additionally, chemical products are often produced from petroleum
feedstocks; nearly 11% of oil is used for chemical manufacture [3]. Therefore, in
addition to the primary energy system, chemical production processes that currently
rely on fossil resources will have to be changed.
In this context, natural gas has recently attracted increasing attention due to the
discovery of shale gas. Natural gas contains 70–90% methane [4], which is an ideal
energy source, having the highest energy value (~56 kJ g
−1 ) among hydrocarbons.
Furthermore, since methane has the greatest hydrogen-to-carbon ratio among all
hydrocarbons, it also provides the maximum amount of energy per mole CO 2 produced during combustion [5]. In view of the abovementioned properties, ~94% of
globally produced natural gas is used as a direct fuel for heating and power generation in both household and industrial settings [6]. However, the use of methane as
a raw material for the production of chemicals accounts for only ~5% of its total
consumption.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
T. Baba and A. Miyaji, Catalysis and the Mechanism of Methane Conversion to Chemicals,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4132-2_1
1
Overview of Direct Methane Conversion
to Chemicals with C–O and C–C Bonds
1.1 Social Considerations and Global Circumstances
Surrounding Methane Consumption
The consumption of energy and the production of materials are essential for human
beings to live a comfortable lifestyle; accordingly, both primary energy consumption
and materials production have continually increased [1]. In 1965, the total primary
energy consumption worldwide was about 38 billion tons as oil equivalent; this figure
had increased to 153 billion tons in 2017 [2]. That is, in approximately 50 years, primary energy consumption has increased nearly four times. In 2017, more than 80%
of primary energy was derived from fossil resources with the following breakdown:
32.4% oil, 27.6% coal, 23.4% natural gas, 6.9% hydroelectricity, and 3.6% renewables. Because of their high consumption rate, fossil energy resources are dwindling;
oil will probably be depleted first, followed by natural gas and finally coal. Under
these circumstances, dramatic changes to the energy system will take place over the
coming decades. Additionally, chemical products are often produced from petroleum
feedstocks; nearly 11% of oil is used for chemical manufacture [3]. Therefore, in
addition to the primary energy system, chemical production processes that currently
rely on fossil resources will have to be changed.
In this context, natural gas has recently attracted increasing attention due to the
discovery of shale gas. Natural gas contains 70–90% methane [4], which is an ideal
energy source, having the highest energy value (~56 kJ g
−1 ) among hydrocarbons.
Furthermore, since methane has the greatest hydrogen-to-carbon ratio among all
hydrocarbons, it also provides the maximum amount of energy per mole CO 2 produced during combustion [5]. In view of the abovementioned properties, ~94% of
globally produced natural gas is used as a direct fuel for heating and power generation in both household and industrial settings [6]. However, the use of methane as
a raw material for the production of chemicals accounts for only ~5% of its total
consumption.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
T. Baba and A. Miyaji, Catalysis and the Mechanism of Methane Conversion to Chemicals,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4132-2_1
1