UOP SeparexTM Membrane

Technology
Mander Singh
UOP LLC

UOP Southeast Asia Gas Processing Tour

October November 2009
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia & Vietnam
2009 UOP LLC. All rights reserved.

UOP 5241E-01

Agenda

y Membrane Technology Overview

y Pretreatment Options
y Flow Scheme Options
y Commercial Experience

UOP 5241E-02

Partial pressure of acid gas in feed, psia

Regions of Use
for Acid Gas Technologies
1000

SeparexTM
Membrane
100

10

1.0

0.1
0.001

0.01

0.1

1.0

10

100

Partial pressure of acid gas in product, psia

UOP 5241E-03

What Is a Membrane?
A semi-permeable film of various:
y Materials: Cellulose Acetate (CA), Polyimide
(PI), Polyamide, Polysulfone, Silicone
y Types: Asymmetric, Thin Film Composite
y Construction: Spiral-Wound, Hollow Fiber

UOP 5241E-04

Asymmetric Membranes

Non
-porous Layer
Non-porous

y Single polymer
y Thin selective layer

Porous Layer

y Porous support layer

UOP 5241E-05

Composite Membrane Structure

Composite Membranes
y Two or more polymers
y Thin layer of highly optimized
polymer
y Mounted on an asymmetrical
structure
y Highly tailored properties
at low cost

UOP 5241E-06

Membrane Elements - Spiral Wound

UOP 5241E-07

Spiral Wound Membrane

Element and Tube

UOP 5241E-08

Hollow Fiber Membranes

UOP 5241E-09

Hollow Fiber Membranes

Feed Gas Inlet

Permeate
Outlet

Permeate
Outlet

Residue Gas
Outlet

UOP 5241E-10

Separex Membranes
y Not A Filtration Process
y Solution-Diffusion Based Separation Process
Components dissolve into membrane surface and diffuse
through it
More soluble components permeate quicker
Smaller components permeate quicker
Fast
Slow

CO2, H2S,
H 2O

Low Pressure

High Pressure

Hydrocarbons, N2

Membranes are characterized

by permeability (flux) and selectivity

UOP 5241E-11

Driving Force
A pressure differential across the
membrane
High Pressure
M
M
(Feed)
ee
m
m
bb
P
CO
CO22
PCO
CO22
rr
aa
Low Pressure
nn
(Permeate)
ee

UOP 5241E-12

What Are Separex Membranes?

UOP 5241E-13

Separex Membranes
Regions of Use

y Flow Rates: Economical only for > 5 MMSCFD

y Feed Pressure: Up to ~ 2,000 psiA (138 barA)
y Permeate Pressure: Typically below ~50 psiA (3.5 barA)
y p (FeedPermeate): 1,500 psi max (100 barA)
y Feed Temperature: 60 to 150F (16 to 65C)

UOP 5241E-14

Agenda

y Membrane Technology Overview

y Pretreatment Options
y Flow Scheme Options
y Commercial Experience

UOP 5241E-15

Pretreatment Design Considerations

y Feed Composition
CO2 Content or Percentage of CO2 Removal
Heavy Hydrocarbons

y Feed Contaminants
Compressor Oils
Well Additives
Pipeline Corrosion Inhibitors

All Membranes Require Some Form of Pretreatment

UOP 5241E-16

Standard Pretreatment

Feed

Filter
Coalescer

NonRegenerative
Adsorbent
Bed

Particle Filter

Heater

Membrane

y Removes feed contaminants such as lube oil and

corrosion inhibitor
y Not meant for removal of heavy HC tail in very rich
feed gas
UOP 5241E-17

Enhanced
UOP MemGuard Pretreatment

Feed

Filter
Coalescer

MemGuard
Regenerable
Adsorbent
System

Particle Filter

Heater

Membrane

UOP 5241E-18

MemGuard Flow Scheme

Clean Gas
Regen Gas
Blower
Adsorbing
Bed(s)
Regen
Heater
Regen Gas
Cooler

Feed
Filter
Coalescer

Particle
Filter

Regen Gas
Separator

Regenerating
Bed

Liquids

UOP 5241E-19

Hydrocarbon Content, ppm

MemGuard System Performance

700
Pretreatment Feed Gas

600

Pretreatment Discharge Gas

500
400
300
200
100
0

C6

C7

C8

C9+

UOP 5241E-20

Benefits of MemGuard System

y Selectively removes heavy HC tail and hence can
provide efficient dew point suppression
y MemGuard product gas is bone dry which allows
use of carbon steel metallurgy
y If permeate gas is to be sequestrated, additional
dehydration is typically not required

UOP 5241E-21

Agenda

y Membrane Technology Overview

y Pretreatment Options
y Flow Scheme Options
y Commercial Experience

UOP 5241E-22

Flow Scheme Options

1 Stage
2 Stage
PreMembrane
Hybrid

UOP 5241E-23

Processing Schemes
Residue
Residue
(Low H2S/CO2)

Feed

Feed
Permeate
(High H2S/CO2)

Permeate

y No moving parts
y Simple, reliable operation
y Low hydrocarbon recovery

y Allows greater CO2 removal

y High hydrocarbon recover
y Requires recycle compressor
Residue

y Feed with high CO2

y Intermediate hydrocarbon recovery
y Reduced compression

Feed

Permeate
UOP 5241E-24

Hybrid
Single Stage
Membrane

Treated
Gas

To Acid
Gas
Cooler

Amine
System
XXXX

XXXX

Reflux

Filtration
System

Feed

To Boiler

xxxx

To/From
Amine
Reboiler

y Debottleneck existing plants

y Reduce size of Amine Unit
y Allows high CO2 removal, low ppm of CO2 & H2S in sales gas
y Minimizes capital and operating costs
UOP 5241E-25

100

90
Multistage
System

One Stage
System

80

70

60
100

20

40

60

80

% Hydrocarbon Recovery
(1 Stage)

Relative Area Requirement

Effect of CO2 Removal

% CO2 Removed
UOP 5241E-26

Hydrocarbon Retention

Effect of Number of Stages

100%
Two Stage

95%
90%

One Stage

85%
80%
75%
0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Percentage CO2 Removal

UOP 5241E-27

Effect of Feed Pressure on Performance

Relative Area or Losses

2.0
1.6
Hydrocarbon
Losses

1.2
0.8

Membrane
Area

0.4
0.0
400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Feed Pressure, psia

UOP 5241E-28

Effect of Permeate Pressure

on Performance

Relative Area or Losses

3.0
2.6

Membrane
Area

2.2
1.8

Hydrocarbon
Losses

1.4
1.0
0.6
0

40

80

120

160

Permeate Pressure, psia

UOP 5241E-29

Effect of Feed Temperature

on Performance

Relative Area or Losses

1.6
1.3

Hydrocarbon
Losses

1.1
0.9
Membrane
Area

0.7
0.5
70

90

110

130

150

170

Operating Pressure, F
UOP 5241E-30

Relative Area or Losses

Effect of CO2 Removal

on Performance
2.0
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0%

Membrane
Area

Hydrocarbon
Losses

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Percentage CO2 Removal

UOP 5241E-31

Agenda

y Membrane Technology Overview

y Pretreatment Options
y Flow Scheme Options
y Commercial Experience

UOP 5241E-32

Small Large

Largest

Larger

Capacity Over Time

Feed Flow (MMSCFD)

1000

100

10

Avg Size

0.1
1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

Year

UOP 5241E-33

Large Separex Membrane Projects

Location

MMSCFD

CO2
Inlet

CO2
Outlet

Nigeria

200

7%

2%

Pakistan

550+450

6.5%

2%

Pakistan

240

12%

3%

Mexico

120

70%

5%

Thailand *

32

50%

20%

Egypt

107

6.7%

3%

Egypt

218

6.8%

3%

Egypt

234

9%

3%

Indonesia

254

40%

20%

Malaysia *

680

44%

8%

Thailand *

620

40%

21%

* Offshore

In Construction

Thailand *

520

35%

10%

Egypt

117

9%

3%

Thailand

163

17%

10%

S.America *

176

25%

5%

Ease of Operation Remote Plants

UOP 5241E-34

Commercial Experience
Installation Type
No. of Units
y Natural Gas
52
y Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)
5
y Hybrids
5
y Offshore
3+2
y Landfill Gas
7
y Digester Gas
1
y H2 Purification
56

Total

130

UOP 5241E-35

Pakistan II Overall Layout

UOP 5241E-36

Pakistan II Expansion Skids

UOP 5241E-37

Pakistan II MemGuard System

UOP 5241E-38

Egypt I Plant Layout

UOP 5241E-39

Egypt I Plant Membrane Skid

UOP 5241E-40

Egypt I Plant
2nd-Stage Membrane Skid

Carbon
Guard Bed

2nd Stage
Membrane

UOP 5241E-41

Recent Project Offshore

Feed

Product

Flow, MMSCFD

630

350

CO2, mol%

44.5

<8.0

Mercury, g/Sm3

40 max

<5

Water, lb/MMSCFD

Saturated

<5

Hydrocarbon Recovery: 95%

UOP 5241E-42

Malaysia Platform

UOP 5241E-43

Optimized Layout & Packing Density

UOP 5241E-44

Installed Malaysian MemGuard System

UOP 5241E-45

Offshore Thailand Membrane Skids

UOP 5241E-46

Thailand Platform

UOP 5241E-47

Separex Technology Summary

y Modular supply advantages
High degree of shop fabrication
Minimized installation time & cost

y Phased in expansion for future capacity or CO2

increase
y Weight and space efficiency
y Easy to start-up, operate, turndown and shutdown
y High reliability and on-stream time
Low maintenance requirements

y Lowest processing cost as low as $ 0.09/MSCF

y Advanced pretreatment and materials
y Membranes operate in gas phase (no flammable
liquids, refrigerants or chemicals)
y Meets API-521 RP for system inventory blowdown
during ESD
UOP 5241E-49

Separex Technology Summary

y Synergies with other UOP technologies
with one system wide performance warranty
y Unparallel capabilities
UOP manufactures its own membranes
Membrane and Pretreatment development program

y Extensive commercial experience

y Long-term proven commitment
Ongoing operational support
Supply of continually improved membranes

UOP 5241E-50

UOPs Project Services Expertise

Project Schedule
Project
Development

Design & Construction

Operations

UOP
Conceptual
y Project Definition &
Optimization
y Basic Design
Studies

Engineering
y Hazop
y Detailed Engineering
y System Integration

Technical
Support
y Commissioning and Startup Services
y Ongoing Technical Services/
y Monitoring

UOP Ongoing R&D and Process Improvements

UOP 5241E-51