Key words: light alkanes, methane, ethane, propane, conversion, oxidation, critical point, supercritical water
The features of light alkanes (LA) as prospective raw materials for production of bulk chemicals from natural gas are analyzed. The literature data on methane, ethane, and propane reactions in supercritical (SC) conditions are reviewed. It is demonstrated that both experimental studies of LA transformations under high temperatures and pressures (in supercritical water in particular) and description of their kinetics face serious difficulties. However, SC conditions provide with new opportunities due to specific trends in thermodynamic properties of substances in the nearest neighborhood of their critical point and in supercritical region.