Catalytic reforming is a very critical process in oil & gas refineries in which low-octane naphtha products are converted into high-octane liquid products, which are then used as blending stocks for gasoline. To describe the process in details, first low-octane paraffins (linear hydrocarbons) are converted into isoparaffins (branched hydrocarbons) and naphthenes (cyclic hydrocarbons). These are then partially dehydrogenated to form high-octane aromatic products. However, this process is accompanied by production of hydrogen gas as byproduct and a side reaction called hydrogenolysis leading to production of light hydrocarbons of lower value such as methane, ethane, propane, and butane. These unwanted by-products act as impurities in the reformer gas and can poison the precious metal catalyst. Therefore, to protect the catalyst, the reformer gas is purified using activated carbon to increase its operational life.

SpaceBlack Adsorbents provides customized grades of unwashed and acid-washed granular activated carbon derived from coconut shell charcoal which can be used for removal of unwanted organic by-products as well as inorganic sulfur compounds from reformer gas.