Petrochemicals &
Petroleum Refining
Technology
CHAPTER 3 :NATURAL GAS
(TREATMENT)
Aliff Radzuan Mohamad Radzi
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NATURAL GAS
ACID GAS
1. A gas that can form acidic solutions when mixed with water.
2. Common acid gases:
•Sulfurous gases (Hydrogen Sulfide,H2S and Carbonyl Sulfide, COS)
•Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
•Mercaptans (heavier sulphurous compound) .
3. These gases cause corrosion (pipelines, reactors, tanks etc).
4. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and Carbonyl Sulfide (COS) are highly toxic,
flammable and explosive.
5. All these gases are contaminants for the environment.
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NATURAL GAS
1. H2S : poisonous, corrodes
metallic equipment
2. CO2 : reduces heating value,
solidify under high pressure
and low temperature
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NATURAL GAS
Treatment Processes
Purpose:
To obtain sweet, dry natural gas by
removing acid gases and reducing water
vapor
Solvent commonly used:
• MDEA (Methyldiethanolamine)
• DEA (Diethanolamine)
• MEA (Monoethanolamine) 4
Amine Gas Treating
Gas stream flow through a liquid solvent, in which the contaminants will be
absorbed.
Then this solvent - loaded with contaminants - is 'regenerated' by heating or
cooling it down: the solvent releases the contaminants.
Then, the contaminants can be processed appropriately.
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Treatment Processes
Acid Gas Treatment
Methods:
1. Physical absorption
selective absorption solvent
2. Physical adsorption
solid adsorbent
3. Chemical absorption
chemical solvent
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Treatment Processes
Acid Gas Treatment
1. Physical absorption
No chemical reaction
Solvent (Rectisol, Selexol etc) selectively
absorbs acid gases and leaves out the HCs
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TREATMENT PROCESS
Physical Absorption
SELEXOL Process:
• Solvent: Dimethyl Ether of Polyethylene Glycol
For selective removal of H2S or other sulfur
compounds or removal of CO2
• Removes
i. Carbonyl sulfide(COS),
ii. Mercaptans (heavier sulfurous compound),
iii. Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN),
iv. Ammonia and Metal Carbonyls
• CO2 + H2S from 5% - 60% 8
TREATMENT PROCESS
Physical Absorption
SELEXOL Process
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TREATMENT PROCESS
Physical Absorption
RECTISOL Process
Solvent: Methanol
Rectisol can purify synthesis gas down to 0.1 ppm
total sulphur (including COS) and CO2 in ppm
range.
The main Advantages:
i. Low utility consumption figures
ii. Use of a cheap and easily available solvent
iii.The flexibility in process configuration.
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RECTISOL® plant for a coal gasification project in Japan
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NATURAL GAS
Treatment Processes
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TREATMENT PROCESS
Physical Adsorption
Acid Gas Treatment
2. Physical Adsorption
Adsorbent : solid with high surface area
e.g. molecular sieves
For low quantity of H2S and CO2
Adsorbing water (silica gel)
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TREATMENT PROCESS
Chemical Absorption
Acid Gas Treatment
3. Chemisorption @ Chemical absorption
High capability of absorbing large amounts of
acid gases.
Chemicals used :
Monoethanolamine(MEA)
Diethanolamine (DEA)
Diglycolamine (DGA)
Solution of relatively weak base
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Chemical Absorption
Chemisorption
Process:
Acid gas forms weak bond with the base
-easily regenerated
Natural gas is passed through amine solution where
sulfides, carbonates and bicarbonates are formed
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Chemical Absorption
Diethanolamine (DEA)
Favored
Lower corrosion rate
Smaller amine loss potential
Fewer utility requirement
Minimum reclaiming needs
Reacts reversibly with 75% of COS while MEA reacts
irreversibly with 95% COS and forms degradation
that must be disposed of
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Chemical Absorption
Econamine Process
Uses Diglycolamine (DGA)
Low freezing point, suitable for cold climates
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Treatment Processes
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Treatment Processes
MEROX Process
MERcaptan OXidation
Remove mercaptans from gas and liquid streams
Catalyst
Sodium Hydroxide (strong base), commonly referred to as Caustic.
Ammonia (weak base).
a water-soluble liquid impregnated onto charcoal granules.
• Processes in removal Mercaptans and/or Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) are
commonly referred to as Sweetening Processes
- no longer have the sour, foul odors of mercaptans and hydrogen
sulfide.
• More economical than Hydrodesulfurization process
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Treatment Processes
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Treatment Processes
WATER REMOVAL
In 1,000 cubic meters of gas there can be
anything between 10 and over 100 liters of
water
Purpose:
Reduce corrosion problem
Prevent hydrate formation
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Excess moisture in natural gas pipelines can
cause the following problems (there are
others):
As the gas passes through regulators and
valves, it will experience a pressure drop and
a subsequent temperature drop. Any
moisture can freeze and result in blockages.
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Light gases can form hydrate compounds in
the presence of water. These hydrate
compounds can also represent a blockage
danger.
The carbon dioxide and/or H2S can form
corrosive agents if allowed to mix with water.
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Excess moisture can greatly reduce the
heating value of the natural gas.
Liquid slugs can form and pass through
separators and severally damage
compressors.
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Water Removal
Gas Dehydration Plant
Reduce corrosion problem
Prevent hydrate formation
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Water Removal
Treatment
With glycols : dissolves water efficiently
Ethylene Glycol (EG)
Diethylene Glycol (DEG)
Triethylene Glycol (TEG)
TEG preferable in vapor phase due to low
vapor pressure thus less glycol loss
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Water Removal
Glycol Dehydration 27
Glycol Dehydration
Units for removing water
vapour from the gas stream
down to the pipeline
specification.
Water vapour absorption is
achieved by TEG or DEG
contacting wet gas counter
currently at stream pressure
through an absorption tower.
Rich glycol is re-concentrated
by heating at atmospheric
pressure and recycled to the
top of the contactor tower
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Treatment Processes
Water Removal Treatment
Methanol
- lower hydrate formation temperature
Solid adsorbents
- molecular sieves, silica gel
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THANK YOU
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Petrochemicals & Petroleum
Refining Technology
CHAPTER 3 :NATURAL GAS
(CNG & LNG)
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Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
COMPRESSED NATURAL IT IS MADE BY STORING IT IS STORED AND
GAS (CNG) IS A SUBSTITUTE (COMPRESSING) DISTRIBUTED IN HARD
FOR GASOLINE (PETROL) METHANE (CH4) AT CONTAINERS, USUALLY
OR DIESEL FUEL.
HIGH PRESSURE (20- CYLINDERS/SPHERICAL
25MPA). SHAPE.
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Compressed NG
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A CNG propelled auto rickshaw on
A CNG powered Volvo B10BLE
the streets of New Delhi, Delhi.
bus, operated by SBS Transit
There is also a fleet of twelve of
in Singapore.
these operating in Brighton,
England.
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Liquefied natural gas or LNG
is natural gas that has been
Liquefied condensed into a liquid at
almost atmospheric
Natural Gas pressure (Maximum
(LNG) Transport Pressure set
around 25 KPa) by cooling it
to approximately -163 °C.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
SWEET DRY WATER VAPOR CO2<100 PPM H2S< 50 PPM
NATURAL GAS BELOW 10 PPM
LIQUEFIED
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Liquefied LNG is about 1/614th the volume
of natural gas at standard
Natural temperature and pressure (STP),
making it much more cost-
Gas efficient to transport over long
(LNG) distances where pipelines do not
exist.
Liquefied NG
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LNG process
1. The gas is first extracted and
transported to a processing plant
where it is purified by removing any
condensates such as water, oil, mud,
as well as other gases such as CO2
and H2S.
2. An LNG process train will also
typically be designed to remove trace
amounts of mercury from the gas
stream to prevent mercury
amalgamizing with aluminium in the
cryogenic heat exchangers.
3. The gas is then cooled down in
stages until it is liquefied. LNG is
finally stored in storage tanks and
can be loaded and shipped.
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Liquefaction:
1. Expander
Cycle
2. Mechanical
Refrigeration
Liquefied Natural
Gas (LNG)
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Liquefaction system: Expander cycle
An expander cycle liquefaction system makes use of a
turbo-expander to chill the incoming natural gas stream
and liquefy a small portion of that stream
Passing high pressure natural gas through a turbo-expander
causes a large decrease in pressure of the gas, resulting in a
decrease in temperature of the gas.
By passing the chilled natural gas through one or more heat
exchangers, a portion of the gas stream can be liquefied.
Generally, no more than about 10% of the incoming natural
gas stream can be liquefied in an expander cycle.
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Liquefaction system:
Mixed Refrigerant Cycle
The mixed refrigerant cycle uses a mixture of refrigerants
(such as propane, ethane, methane, and nitrogen) within a
single refrigeration loop
The various stages of refrigeration are accomplished by a
series of pressure reduction steps. At each pressure reduction
step, the liquid is partially flashed, which produces a colder
liquid and vapor.
The colder liquid is used as the refrigerant for the next stage
of the refrigeration cycle.
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Liquefaction system:
Mixed Refrigerant Cycle
In this way, the mixed refrigerant cycle produces a
series of refrigeration loops at different temperatures,
much like the cascade cycle
One of the most common types of mixed refrigerant
systems uses a separate refrigeration loop, with
propane as the refrigerant, to pre-cool the gas feed
before it is introduced into the mixed refrigerant
system.
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LNG TRANSPORTATION
The typical LNG tanker
is longer than three
football fields and can
hold up to 33 million
gallons of LNG. It is
believed that an
explosion on a LNG
tanker would have the
power of a small
nuclear explosion!
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THANK YOU
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