Turboexpander plant designs can provide high ethane recovery without inlet CO/sub 2/ removal

Journal Article · Mon May 03 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7149656

Wilkinson, J D; Hudson, H M

New turboexpander plant designs can process natural gas streams containing moderate amounts of carbon dioxide (CO/sub 2/) for high ethane recovery without inlet gas treating. The designs will handle a wide range of inlet ethane-plus fractions. They also offer reduced horsepower requirements compared to other processes. CO/sub 2/ is a typical component of most natural gas streams. In many cases, processing of these gas streams in a turboexpander plant for high ethane recovery requires pre-treatment of the gas for CO/sub 2/ removal. This is required to avoid the formation of solid CO/sub 2/ (freezing) in the cold sections of the process and/or to meet necessary residue gas and liquid product CO/sub 2/ specifications. Depending on the quantities involved, the CO/sub 2/ removal systems is generally a significant portion of both the installed cost and operating cost for the ethane recovery facility. Therefore, turboexpander plant designs that are capable of handling increased quantities of CO/sub 2/ in the feed gas without freezing can offer the gas processor substantial economic benefits.

• OSTI ID: 7149656
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 80:18; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
ALKANES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CONDENSATES
COST
DESIGN
ETHANE
FLUIDS
GAS CONDENSATES
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LIQUIDS
MACHINERY
NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS
NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANTS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
REFINING
REMOVAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECIFICATIONS
TURBOMACHINERY