Natural gas processing

Constantinos Hadjistassou, PhD

Assistant Professor
Programme in Oil & Gas (Energy) Engineering
University of Nicosia
Web: www.carbonlab.eu
Oct., 2015
 Overview
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 Natural gas processing

 Natural gas liquefaction cycles

 LNG storage facilities

 Phase separation
 Natural gas processing
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 Remove:
 Liquids (H2O)
 Carbon dioxide (CO2)
 Acid gases (eg, H2S)
 Dry gas from water
 Pump sweet natural gas to shore via submarine pipeline
 If natural gas is dry (pure gas) minimal processing
 Compression station pumps gas to shore
 CO2 and water usually re-injected in gas field
 Natural gas liquefaction cycles
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 1. Classical cascade
 Refrigerants: a) propane, b) ethylene, c) methane in compression-refrigeration cycles
 2. Modified cascades:
 Mixed refrigerant
 Fewer compressors & heat exchangers
 Less space
 Less costly to build
 Costs less to operate
 Precooled mixed refrigerant
 Most popular cycle
 Uses mixed refrigerants:
N2, CH4, C2H6, ….
 Known as C3 MR cycle
 LNG storage facilities
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 Factors: cost, safety, reliability, efficiency, duty, aesthetics

 Aboveground double skinned metal tanks
 Most reliable & predictable for heat inleak
 Fire and explosion resistant, no geological constraints
 Materials: Al, s. steel, 9% nickel steel
 Above/below ground prestressed concrete tanks
 Reinforced pre- or post-stressed rods prevent cracks
 Inground frozen earth storage
 A: Bigger tanks; D: costly excavation, structural stability, heat loss
 Mined caverns
 Rarely present closed to demand
LNG storage facilities
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Natural gas processing

 Tackling the energy density question
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 What does the 1/610 volume reduction entail:

 Liquefaction: converting methane into liquid
 Storage of LNG
 Shipping LNG
 Export & import facilities Natural gases’ compositions
 Natural gas components’ properties & other fuels
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 High diffusion; high buoyancy; high spontaneous ignition temp.

 Natural gas composition
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 Why liquefy natural gas?

 LNG energy density: 2.4x CNG, 60% of diesel, 70% of gasoline
 Gas condensates:
 H2S, CO2, straight-chain alkanes, cyclohexane, napthenes
 Thiols (mercaptants), aromatics (benzene, toluene)
 Untreated natural gas consists predominantly of:
 Nitrogen (N2);
 Carbon dioxide CO2;
 Traces of Sulphur;
 Higher hydrocarbons
 Impurities i.e. dust
 Traces of Mercury (Hg) and occasionally
 Helium (He)
 Water vapour (H2O)
 Gas processing
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 Meets transport or final gas specs

 Processing objectives:
 Generate a sales gas stream which meets specs (ie, Table 1). These specs are designed
to meet pipeline requirements and needs of industrial & domestic consumers
 Maximize NGLs share by producing lean gas stripped of most of the H/Cs other than
methane.
 Deliver a commercial gas (distinguished by a range of gross heating value).
 Initial gas processing
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 Min. purification at well-head

 Raw gas transmission
 Feed gas may contain: H2O, CO2, H2S, higher H/Cs, impurities
 Need to pig regularly due to two-phase flow
 Fist stage treatment:
 Traps
 Collect liquids
 Depending on temp., H2O content, press. drop:
 Glycol or methanol prevents hydrate formation
 Glycol/methanol removed using fractionation in aqua/liquid separator
 Gas cooled close to freezing temp by heat exchanger
 Removes more water
 Heavy hydrocarbons in knock-out drum
 Onshore initial H/C processing
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 Some purification at well-head

 Raw gas moved via pipeline(s)
 Feed gas may contain: H2O, H2S, CO2, heavier H/Cs, impurities
 Need to pig regularly due to two-phase flow
 First stage treatment:
 Traps
 Gather liquids
 Depending on temp, H2O content, press drop:
 Glycol or methanol prevents hydrate formation
 Glycol/methanol removed using fractionation in H2O/liquid separator
 Gas cooled close to freezing temp by heat exchanger
 Separates more water
 Heavy hydrocarbons in knock-out drum
 Offshore gas processing
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 Processing done onboard platform or subsea

 Separate:
 Liquids (eg, H2O, condensates, ...)
 Carbon dioxide (CO2)
 Other acid gases (eg, H2S)
 Dehydrate gas
 Pump sweet natural gas to shore via submarine export pipeline
 If natural gas is dry (≈pure CH4) minimal processing
 Compression station pumps gas to shore
 CO2 and water usually re-injected in gas field
 Offshore gas treatment
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 Flowline choke valve lowers gas pressure & temp.

 Choke & flowline section embedded in hot water to avoid hydrates
 Phase-separation removes condensates (natural gasoline, He, alkanes,
...) & water
 Gas processing
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 Separate NG from: Typical onshore gas treatment process

 Condensates
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 Non-condensable
 Acid gases (H2S, CO2)
 H2O
 Gas treatment customized to
gas composition
 Varying loads & compatibility
i.e. inlet composition
 Optimization of treatment
process necessary
 Depends on volume of natural gas,
NG output, plant recoveries
 Depends of remoteness & ambient temperature
 Phase separation
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 Performed via a phase separator

 Complicated by two- or three-phase flow (gas-liquid-solid states)
 Liquid slug-flow; eliminated by slug catchers
 Filters remove particulates
 Outputs: hydrocarbon condensate &
H2O/methanol or H2O/glycol phases
 Spherical separators
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 Preferred for high pressure operation

 Compact size
 Small liquid volumes
 Phase separation (2)
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 Gravity separation requirements: fluids immiscible & different ρ

 Momentum change: used for bulk fluid volumes
 Mist cannot be separated by gravity
 Gravity separators are pressure vessels
 Separate mixed stream into gas & liquids
 Gravity separators: a)vertical & b)horizontal :
 a) 2-phase: separate gas from liquids
 b) 3- phase: separate in addition to (a) crude oil & water-rich phases
 Operational pressures:
 1) Low pres.: 10-180psi
 2) Medium pres.: 230-700psi
 3) High-press.: 975-1,500psi
 Phase separation (3)
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 The 3 mechanisms for removing gases & liquids or solids from NG:
 Momentum; by changing the dn of the flow; for bulk separation
 Gravity settling; Lower velocity causes droplets to settle
 Coalescing; small become large droplets & are collected by gravity
 Gas/liquid separation
 Gravity settling section Horizontal 3-phase gravity separator.

 Mist extractor
 Proper pressure & liquid
level control
 Phase separation (4)
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 Gas-liquid separators despite not being super-effective do not clog

 Small d liquid droplets (d<3μm) removed using filter separators
 Coalescing filters are used to eliminate small liquid droplets
 Liquid collection also removes solids such as iron sulfide (corrosion)
Liquid-liquid separators
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 Configuration depends on #
of phases (2 or 3)
 Liquids present 2 challenges:
 Small differences in ρ make separation
difficult
 Presence of emulsions complicates things
 Gas dehydration
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 Export gas must meet min. water content: 3-4 lb/MMscf

 Water hazards:
 Condense in submarine pipeline low spots;
 Form gas hydrates;
 Combine with acid gases to foster corrosion;
 Slug flow formation promotes erosion.
 H2O often removed via glycol dehydration:
 Triethylene Glygol (TEG)
 Or desiccant or absorbent like silica or
alumina gel
Fig. 1: Drag coefficient vs Re # on spherical bodies
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ρ
Fig. 2: Drag coefficient for rigid spheres
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 Theory & example
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 Theory #1: Gas (vapour)-Liquid separation

 Example #1
LNG block diagram
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 Next...
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 Phase separation
 Acid gas treatment
 Natural gas dehydration
 Natural gas liquid recovery
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Thanks for your attention!