Recovery of NGL's and rejection of N/sub 2/ from natural gas

Patent · Tue May 24 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:7133691

De Long, B W; Gray, M L

A method of separating a super-pressured sub-cooled feed gas, predominating in methane and containing significant amounts of ethane and higher hydrocarbons and nitrogen, the feed gas being at a pressure substantially above atmospheric pressure and a temperature substantially below atmospheric temperature sufficient to form a vapor phase and liquid phase is described, comprising: (a) separating the feed gas, in at least one separation step, to produce a methane- and nitrogen-enriched first vapor phase and an ethane and higher hydrocarbon-enriched first liquid phase; (b) fractionating the first liquid phase, under conditions sufficient to produce a product, methane-enriched, second vapor phase and a product, ethane and higher hydrocarbon-enriched, second liquid phase; (c) fractionating the first vapor phase, under conditions sufficient to produce a nitrogen-enriched, third vapor phase and a methane-enriched, third liquid phase; and (d) fractionating the third vapor phase, under conditions sufficient to produce a product, nitrogen-enriched, fourth vapor phase and a product, methane-enriched fourth liquid phase.

• Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co., Bartlesville, OK
• Patent Number(s): US 4746342
• OSTI ID: 7133691
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
ALKANES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DENITRATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ETHANE
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTIONATION
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
LIQUEFACTION
LIQUIDS
METHANE
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PRESSURE EFFECTS
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY
REMOVAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES