PROCESS DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

PRESENTATION ON

GAS PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENTAL ORIENTATION PROGRAMME

Jan 2008

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9.01.08
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 OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESENTATION

◼ TO OBTAIN AN OVERVIEW OF TECHNOLOGY

OPTIONS IN GAS PROCESSING
◼ SALIENT FEATURES OF EACH PROCESS
◼ PROCESS SELECTION AND APPLICATION

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 NEED FOR PROCESSING

◼ Tapped from geological formation, well fluid

hydrocarbons are a mixture of oil with dissolved gases,
water and other impurities
◼ Thus these must be separated into oil and gas in a
process called stabilization
◼ Further processing is dependent on the impurities
present, quality and downstream use

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 LEAN GAS
WELL FLUID FROM
SOUR GAS
OFFSHORE
GAS PROCESSING
COMPLEX
OIL/GAS

OIL & GAS ONSHORE

PLATEFORM PROCESSING
FACILITIES

C2/C3 LPG

OIL TO TRUNK LINE

OIL TO TANKER
OIL & GAS FROM
ONSHORE

OVER ALL BLOCK FLOW DIAGRAM

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 OIL AND GAS PROCESSING

◼ OFFSHORE PROCESSING
◼ ONSHORE PROCESSING

◼ This presentation focuses on the technologies in the

onshore gas processing areas.

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 NEED FOR PROCESSING cont

◼ To remove undesirable components like moisture which

results in plant blockages due to ice hydrate formation,
also causes pipeline corrosion
◼ Heavy hydrocarbons which causes wax deposition
◼ Metals like mercury attack aluminum and vanadium
attack turbine blades
◼ Presence of oxygen and methanol/glycol which cause
which effect mol sieve dryers

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BASIC FEEDSTOCK FOR CRYOGENIC PLANTS

◼ Offshore Oil & Gas Fields

◼ Offshore Gas Fields
◼ Onshore Oil & Gas Fields
◼ Onshore Gas Fields

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 ON-SHORE FACILITIES

◼ Oil / Gas Separation

◼ Crude condensate processing
◼ Gas Processing
◆ Gas gathering stations
◆ Slug catcher
◆ Gas sweetening
◆ Gas dehydration
◆ Dew point depression
◆ LPG / Ethane/Propane Recovery
◆ NGL recovery
◆ Sulfur recovery

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 PRODUCTION CONCEPTS

◼ Two approaches
◼ Decentralized
➢ Widely adopted in onshore installations
➢ Dehydration and desalting of crude in the heater treater
➢ HP and LP gas is sent to nearby users
➢ Oil stored and pumped
➢ Local effluent disposal in evaporation pits or pumped to effluent
centres
◼ Centralized
➢ For larger fields
➢ In use at most offshore installations
➢ Lower operating costs, better automation
➢ Better recovery
➢ Good environmental control

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 DECENTRALIZED APPROACH
WELL HEAD

WELL HEAD

HP GAS
GGS STABILIZED CRUDE GGS HP GAS

LP GAS LP GAS

EFFLUENTS FOR EFFLUENTS FOR

DISPOSAL DISPOSAL

TRUNK LINE
CTF TRANSPORT

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 CENTRALIZED APPROACH
GAS FOR
HIGH PRESSURE GAS PROCESSING/
COMRESSOR
MANIFOLD
STATION
STATION -1
MEDIUM PRESSURE GAS

CENTRAL OIL BOOSTER GAS

MANIFOLD STATION GAS GAS DEHYDRATION
STATION -2 MANIFOLD SEPARATION COMPRESSOR UNIT
UNIT UNIT

MANIFOLD OIL CRUDE OIL TO REFINERIES

STATION -3 BLOCK
STATION

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 CRUDE OIL STABILIZATION

◼ Multistage separation
◼ Multistage separation with vapor recompression
◼ Multi stage separation with NGL recovery
◼ Multi stage with Hot stripping
◼ Multi stage hot stripping with gas compression
◼ Two stage fractionation requires dehydration desalting
upstream

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 GAS PROCESSING COMPLEX
GAS TO PIPELINE

SLUG GAS GAS DEW POINT

GAS CATCHER SWEETENING DEHYDRATION DEPRESSION

LPG RECOVERY

LPG
CONDENSATE
FRACT’N
NGL
SULPHUR RECOVERY SULPHUR

NAPHTHA
KEROSENE
RECOVERY KEROSENE

HEAVY FR’N

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 SLUG CATCHER
◼ Receive and hold condensate that is pushed out from the line during
pigging
◼ Transportation of gas from long offshore pipeline results in
condensation thus also receives condensate slugs during normal
operation
◼ Trap and hold liquid particles carried over with the gas
◼ Inlet sequentially to very long pipes with large diameter (called
fingers)
◼ These pipes have large slope(5%) in the front end necessary for
separation
◼ The slope reduces further to 0.5% in the storage section
◼ Liquid is removed from each finger and via a header is routed for
fractionation
◼ Gas is collected from risers and also sent for sweetening,
dehydration, LPG and C2/C3 recovery
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 SLUG
CATCHER

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 GAS SWEETENING

◼ Removal of acid gases (H2S, CO2) is termed as gas

sweetening
◼ Acid gases cause corrosion especially in presence of
moisture.
◼ H2S is to be removed to contain corrosion in pipeline
transportation
◼ CO2 freezes in cryogenic gas plants and interrupts
operation also to contain corrosion
◼ In LPG recovery CO2 removal generally not required
◼ However, in C2/C3 recovery units CO2 must be removed
◼ Typically sweet gas would have 4ppm H2S and 50ppm CO2
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 GAS SWEETENING

◼ A very large number of sweetening processes are available

◼ Key factors which select the process are operating pressure,
feed composition, treated gas specification, (for eg gas at
has CO2 as 5.74mol%, H2S as 0.13mol% , while LACQ gas
in France has an H2S content of as high as 15mol%)
◼ Requirements: bulk removal, selective removal.
◼ Mainly divided in four categories
➢ Chemical solvent
➢ Physical solvent
➢ Direct conversion
➢ Dry bed

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 GAS SWEETENING PROCESSES
◼ Gas sweetening by absorption using chemical solvents
(alkanolamines in aqueous solution)
◆ Primary amine – MEA
◆ Secondary amine – DEA, DIPA
◆ Tertiary amine – MDEA
◆ Activated MDEA
◼ Physical solvents suited for bulk removal, and work on the
principles of partial pressure concept some- hybrid process like
Sulfinol-D
◼ Direct conversion: H2S is directly converted to elemental sulfur ,
like LOCAT
◼ Dry bed processes employ molecular sieves normally used for
gases with very low acid content.

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 Gas sweetening- major equipments
◆ Inlet KOD
◆ Contactor
− Packed or tray column (22 – 24 valve trays or equivalent
packing)
− Feed gas enters at the bottom
− Lean amine enters at the top tray
− Operates at 50 C to 60 C
◆ Amine circulation pumps
◆ Flash tank
- flashed dissolved hydrocarbons from amine
- operated at 5-6kg/cm2g
- located between contactor and feed bottom exchanger
◆ Rich lean amine exchanger (Shell and tube/ plate frame) design
minimizes acid gas flashing reduces reboiler duty by 50%) PDD
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 Gas sweetening major equipments
◆ Stripper column
- Trayed – valve trays or packing
− Steam in reboiler for stripping
− 90 – 95% acid gas stripped in column
− Condensed stripping steam returned to column as reflux for water
balance & to reduce amine carryover
◆ Reboiler
− Generates steam for stripping by boiling amine
− Heat by steam or fuel gas etc
− Type may be vertical/horizontal kettle or thermosyphon
− Max. reboiler temperature : 123 – 125 C to avoid amine degradation
◆ Acid Gas condenser
- Condenses steam vapor in acid gas (either Cooling water or air
condenser)
◆ Lean Amine Cooler
− Cools lean amine good for absorption

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 Gas sweetening major equipments

◆ Filtration – cartridge filters

− Removes particles that can promote foaming in contactor, corrosion
and off spec product
− Cartridge or pre coat type
− 1 – 100 micron range
− Usually slip stream of amine from amine circulation pump
− Provided before and after carbon filterAbsorbs entrained
hydrocarbon, amine degradation products
− Carbon usually lignite or charcoal
− On slip stream of amine ( 10 % of total amine in circulation)
◆ Amine storage tanks
− Nitrogen blanketted for make-up amine
◆ Water Wash
− To remove entrained amine in sweet gas

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 Gas sweetening

◼ Material of Construction
◆ Vessels in amine service – CS+ 6 mm CA
◆ Vessels in H2S/CO2 & moisture – SS 316 L
◆ Piping in amine/+CO2 service – SS 316 L / CS
◆ Column internals – SS 316 L
◆ Exchangers (amine) – Shell CS, Tubes SS316L
◆ Pumps – SS 316 L
◆ All CS in amine service – stress relieved
◆ H2S service – NACE standards

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 Gas sweetening

◼ Aux. Equipments

◆ Anti foam injection facility

◆ Amine blowdown system

◆ Desuperheater

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 Gas sweetening

◼ Major operating problems in sweetening plant

◆ Corrosion
− Oxygen in water / condensate used for making amine solution

− Presence of CO2 & H2S and water

◆ Amine degradation
− Excessive temperature in reboiler

◆ Foaming in contactor
− Degraded products

− Liquid hydrocarbon in gas

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 Gas sweetening

◼ Overcome operating problem by

◆ Proper selection of MOC
◆ Proper plant operation

◆ Ensure Good filtration

◆ Controlling reboiler operating temperature

◆ Avoiding hydrocarbon condensation in contactor

◆ Using antifoam as and when required

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 GAS DEHYDRATION

◼ Normally gas is saturated with water at plant inlet ( as it

is available from a sweetening unit)
◼ Gas dehydration is required
➢ Prevent formation of hydrates and condensation of free
water in processing and transportation facilities
➢ To meet water content specifications for pipeline
transportation
➢ And to prevent corrosion

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 Gas Dehydration

◼ Glycols are commonly used to dehydrate gas for

pipeline transportation
◼ Required water content for pipeline transport is 5-
7lb/MMSCFD, or equal to 85kg/MMNM3D
◼ For cryogenic use the water dew point is (-) 70 deg C
for LPG plants and (-) 100 Deg C for C2/C3 recovery
plants which is obtained only by mol sieve dryers.
◼ .

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 Dew Point Depression

◼ Normally done to obtain a hydrocarbon dew point as

desired to eliminate hydrocarbon condensation in the
pipeline.
◼ Expander or refrigeration scheme is used

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 Condensate Fractionation Unit

◼ Gas condensate from the slug catcher or the gas

separators will be rich in LPG components
◼ This condensate is fractionated in a two column
configuration to recover LPG and heavier liquids known
as Natural Gas Liquids (NGL)
◼ The balance gas which is light and devoid of LPG
components after compression joins back the main gas
stream

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 Cryogenic recovery of hydrocarbons

◼ Cryogenic recovery of Hydrocarbons

◆ Front end feed gas treatment.
◆ Alternate Process schemes for production of C2/C3, LPG
considering natural gas as feed stock.
◆ Typical block flow diagram for cryogenic recovery of light
hydrocarbons.
◆ Major Equipment in the unit.
◆ Material of constructions
◆ Supporting systems
◆ Operating problems
◆ Major LPG and C2/C3 plants

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Front end feed gas treatment

◆ Gas Sweetening – Removes H2S,CO2

◆ Gas Drying – Removes moisture

◆ Here gas drying is via molecular sieves

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Alternate process schemes

◆ Turbo-expander process
◆ Cascade refrigeration process

◆ Refrigerated absorption process

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Various sections of C2/C3 & LPG plant.

◆ Feed gas compression
◆ Feed gas drying

◆ Feed gas chilling/ liquefaction using expansion of the

gases/cooling using refrigerant
◆ Separation of lean gas & liquid hydrocarbon

◆ Fractionation

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B7544001

FIGURE : 2.1 - FLOW SCHEME FOR C2/C3 AND LPG RECOVERY PLANT

PIPELINE
LEAN GAS LEAN GAS
COMPR.

C0 2,H S 2
RESIDUE
COMPR.

GAS EXPANDER
GAS COOLING CHILLING
GSU COMPRESSOR SEPARATION
DRYING SEPARATED LIQUID
PIPELINE

HO
2

REFRIGERATION
COMPRESSOR
LIQUEFACTION SECTION

LPG (C +C3 ) 4 C3(PROPANE) C2/C3TO CRACKER

DEMETH. BOTTOM LIQUID FOR

NGL C2/C3 & LPG RECOVERY
C5+

LPG COLUMN PROPANE COLUMN 2C C3 COLUMN DEMETHANIZER COLUMN

FRACTIONATION SECTION PDD
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ENGINEERS INDIA LIMITED
JOB NO
9.01.08 REV.
EIL
NEW DELHI
Slide Number–
7544 34 of 67
DWG. NO. REF. DRAWING NO. DATE REVISION BY CH APPD
 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Feed gas compression

◆ Compression to moderate pressures (if required) to
ensure liquefaction of gas when chilled
◆ Thus pressure selection is determined by parameters like
feed quality, pressure, composition and lean gas
pressure requirement
◆ Centrifugal compressors

◆ Motor driven or turbine driven

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Gas drying
◆ To avoid hydrate formation (water + HC = solid hydrate] in cryogenic
temperature region.
◆ Generally part of any cryogenic plant
◆ Moisture in gas reduced to < 1 ppm ( dew point =(-)100Deg C)
◆ Drying by molecular sieves
◆ Generally two beds – on under drying and one under regeneration
◆ Regeneration by hot lean gas
◆ Normally a guard bed is used below the main bed in both dryer
vessels.

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

Feed gas chilling

◆ Feed gas chilling to a 2 phase (vapour +liquid) region

◆ Achieved by expansion in turbo-expander use of Joule Thompson
effect
◆ Cold stream after expansion in an expander is used to cool the feed
gas
◆ Level of LPG and C2/C3 recoveries achieved depending on feed gas
pressure temperatures, composition
◆ In case the gas is very lean and has lower pressures cold available
from expansion may not be sufficient for condensing the desired
LPG components, in which case external refrigerant may be called
for.
◆ C2/C3 recovery normally required external refrigerant to achieve
above 90% recovery.
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Typical flow scheme –cryogenic recovery of HCs

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Expansion using turbo-expanders

◆ Chilling to liquefy the feed gas
◆ Using the work extracted from expanding gas stream to compress
feed gas / lean gas
◆ Reduces external compression
◆ Normal pressure ratio : 3 – 4 in gas plants
◆ > 80 % expander efficiency
◆ Inlet stream must be free of liquids/solids
◆ (-) 45 C to (-) 60 C after expansion for LPG recovery
◆ (-) 75 C after expansion for C3 recovery
◆ (-) 115 C in case of C2/C3 recovery

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 Reversible
expansion
Constant
entropy path
from a to b
However actual
Expansion
would
Follow a non
ideal
Path a to c
Del H ideal and
del H actual

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Chilling of feed gas using cold streams generated after

expansion

◆ Feed gas is cooled before expansion to achieve lower

cryogenic temperatures
◆ Achieved in Cold Box which can handle multiple hot and
cold stream
◆ MOC – brazed Aluminium

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

Fractionation

◆ Demethaniser
◆ LEF column

◆ LPG column

◆ Propane column (if reqd.)

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Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons- C2/C3 recovery

◼ Demethaniser

◆ Separation of methane from other components

◆ Top temp = - 115 C
◆ Valve trays / packing
◆ 45 – 55 trays (typical)
◆ Side reboiler & main reboiler - Reboiling using hot feed gas or lean
gas
◆ Overhead condenser – chilling using external refrigerant or cold
process streams

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ LEF (Light end fractionation ) column

◆ Separation of methane+ethane from other components

◆ Top temp = - 45 C
◆ Valve trays
◆ 40 trays (typical)
◆ Reboiler - Reboiling using LP steam or hot oil
◆ Overhead condenser – chilling using external refrigerant or cold
process streams

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ LPG Column

◆ Separation of propane + butane (LPG) from C5 + components

◆ Valve trays
◆ 30 trays (typical)
◆ Reboiler - Reboiling using LP steam or Hot oil
◆ Overhead condenser – cooling using cooling water

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Propane Column

◆ Separation of propane from C4 + components

◆ Valve trays
◆ 20 trays (typical)
◆ Reboiler - Reboiling using LP steam or Hot oil
◆ Overhead condenser – cooling using cooling water

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Lean gas compression

◆ Compression of lean gas (mainly methane) to required

pipeline pressure
◆ Centrifugal compressors

◆ Motor driven or turbine driven

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Material of Construction

◆ Carbon steel upto –27C

◆ LTCS (low temp. CS) upto –45 C

◆ Alloy steel upto –75 C

◆ 3.5wt% Ni upto –100 Deg C (depending upon availability)

◆ Stainless steel < -100C

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Other systems
◆ Dryer regeneration system – Fired heater, regeneration
gas compressor, cooler
◆ Methanol injection – To prevent hydrate formation
◆ Hot oil system – Hot oil heater, surge vessel, pump
◆ Steam system
◆ Flare system

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Other systems

◆ Instrument air / plant air system

◆ Cooling water system

◆ Inert gas system

◆ Closed blowdown system

◆ Refrigeration system (propane or propylene)

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 Cryogenic Recovery of Hydrocarbons

◼ Operating problems

◆ Poor moisture removal in dryer – Hydrate formation in cryogenic

region
− Methanol injection during start-up

◆ Amine & hydrocarbon liquid carryover from upstream facilities –

Damage of molecular sieves, coke formation
− KOD upstream of dryer, proper operation of upstream

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 C2-C3 RECOVERY PLANTS

CO2

Feed Gas GAS DRYING

GAS SWEETENING (MOLECULAR SIEVES)

C2 / C3

LPG GAS CHILLING

FRACTIONATION
& LIQUEFACTION

NGL

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