SAPO-34 molecular sieves have been synthesized using two-liquid phase system (water/hexanol) in presence of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or hexadecylamine (HA) as surfactant agents. This synthesis method causes higher silicon incorporation as well as greater diversification of the silicon distribution in the SAPO-34 network and decreases catalyst deactivation in the methanol-to-olefins process. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.