STAR Process

STAR, the acronym for STeam Active Reforming, is a commercially established technology for the dehydrogenation of light paraffins, such as propane or butane. Initially developed by Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville, OK, USA, Uhde acquired the technology with the process know-how and all patents related to the process and catalyst from Phillips in December 1999.

In the period from 2000 to 2003 Uhde (now ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions) significantly increased the performance of the STAR process by adding an oxydehydrogenation step which enhances the process economics in terms of investment and operating costs.

• oxydehydrogenation of propane to produce high-purity propylene as feedstock for polypropylene,propylene oxide and other propylene derivatives
• oxydehydrogenation of butane / isobutane to butenes / isobutene for the production of alkylate,isooctane, MTBE, polybutylenes and other chemicals
• oxydehydrogenation for the production of alkylates
• oxydehydrogenation for the production of dimers.