Advancements in treating subquality natural gas using N-formyl morpholine
- Inst. of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL (United States)
- Krupp Uhde GmbH, Dortmund (Germany)
- Gas Research Inst., Chicago, IL (United States)
Process selection for gas treating is a complex phenomenon because processing requirements vary widely, and there are many gas sweetening solvents that are available to meet the requisite specification. Over the past few years, the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) and Krupp Uhde GmbH (KU) have been conducting research on a physical solvent N-Formyl Morpholine (NFM) for treatment of subquality natural gas because of its advantages of lower energy consumption, higher CO{sub 2}/H{sub 2}S gas loadings, selective absorption of CO{sub 2}/H{sub 2}S, and lower loss of valuable C{sub 1}-C{sub 6} hydrocarbons as compared with other commercial physical solvents. Field experiment studies form the 1 MMscfd pilot plant unit operating at Shell`s Fandango facility confirms NFM as a cost-effective gas treating solvent. To date, a total of 78 tests using Koch`s random, high capacity and high-efficiency structured packing have been completed. These field experiments were conducted at wellhead conditions at 1,000 psig using slipstream from the Shell plant containing sour gas concentrations up to 43 mol % CO{sub 2}. These data, when used in a sophisticated process simulation, predicted a minimum of 40% operating cost savings depending upon sour gas concentration. This paper explains the development of NFM technology with results from laboratory and field tests. This paper also discusses case studies pertaining to NFM application to retrofits, as well as new plants. Furthermore, this paper illustrates the scaling-up calculations from field test investigations. The potential of mixed solvent -- NFM and morpholine additives -- will also be discussed for increased acid gas loading, reduced circulation rate and column size. This emerging technology is the product of extensive research by IGT and is commercially available through KU for gas treating applications.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Gas Research Inst., Chicago, IL (United States); USDOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center, WV (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 347872
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9803159-; TRN: IM9923%%410
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 77. annual meeting of the Gas Processors Association (GPA), Dallas, TX (United States), 16-18 Mar 1998; Other Information: PBD: [1998]; Related Information: Is Part Of Seventy-seventh annual convention Gas Processors Association: Proceedings; PB: 288 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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