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Natural Gas Processing

Natural Gas Processing

A comparison of Images 12.2 and 12.3 illustrates the significance of natural gas processing for purification of
the raw natural gas to obtain a pipeline quality gas. In general, natural gas processing includes the following
steps:

Condensate and Water Removal

Acid Gas Removal
Dehydration – moisture removal
Mercury Removal
Nitrogen Rejection
NGL Recovery, Separation, Fractionation, and Treatment of Natural Gas Liquids

In addition to these processes, it is often necessary to install scrubbers and heaters at or near the wellhead.
The scrubbers remove sand and other large-particle impurities. The heaters ensure that the temperature of the
natural gas does not drop too low and form a hydrate with the water in the gas stream. Natural gas hydrates
are crystalline ice-like solids or semi-solids that can impede the passage of natural gas through valves and
pipes.

A generalized natural gas flow diagram is shown in Figure 12.2 [7]. After initial scrubbing to remove particles,
the first step in natural gas processing is the removal of condensate (oil) and water that is achieved by
controlling the temperature and pressure of the inlet stream from the well, as shown in Figure 12.4. Gas
separated in this unit is sent to acid gas recovery; the condensate or the oil recovered is usually sent to a
refinery for processing, while water is disposed, or treated as wastewater.
Figure 12.2. A generalized natural gas processing flow diagram [7].
Figure 12.3. Condensate and water removal [6].

Acid gases (H2S and CO2) are separated usually by absorption in an amine solution, as discussed for H2S
recovery in a petroleum refinery in Lesson 10. The recovered H2S is sent to a combined Claus-SCOT (Tail
Gas Treating) unit to be converted to elemental sulfur, as was also discussed in Lesson 10. After removing the
acid gases, the natural gas stream is sent to a dehydration unit to remove water typically by absorption in a
glycol unit, followed by mercury removal (by adsorption on activated carbons or other sorbents), and nitrogen
rejection either cryogenically, or by adsorption, or absorption depending on the nitrogen concentration. The last
step in the processing sequence is the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) extraction, fractionation, and treatment, as
described in Figure 12.4.

Figure 12.4: Separation and Fractionation of Natural Gas Liquids [6]

Natural gas liquids (NGLs) have a higher value as separate products.

Two basic steps: 1) Extraction, 2) Fractionation

1. NGL Extraction
Absorption Method
Similar to using absorption for dehydration, using a different absorbing oil for hydrocarbons.
Cryogenic Expansion Process
Dropping the temperature of the gas stream to around -120°F by expansion and external
refrigeration
2. Natural Gas Liquid Fractionation - works like Light Ends Unit
Deethanizer - separates ethane from the NGL stream
Depropanizer - separates propane.
 Debutanizer - boils off the butanes
Butane Splitter or Deisobutanizer - separates iso and n-butanes.

NGL extraction can be carried out by absorption in oil that selectively absorbs hydrocarbons heavier than
methane, or by a cryogenic expansion and external refrigeration to condense NGL.

Following the NGL extraction, the treated natural gas stream that is, now, mostly methane, or a gas compliant
with the natural gas specifications is sent to the pipeline for transmission to the point of use. The extracted
NGL, on the other hand, is sent to a fractionation unit that operates like Light Ends Unit in a refinery, as
discussed in Lesson 5, separating ethane, propane, butane, and naphtha (>C5, natural gasoline). Note that the
fractionation unit may also include a butane splitter or deisobutanizer to separate n-butane and iso-butane.
You may remember from Lesson 8 that iso-butane is a feedstock to alkylation to produce high-octane gasoline
when reacted with C3 and C4 olefins. NGL from highly sour gases may need additional treatment to remove
mercaptans and other sulfur species before NGL leaves the processing plant.

[6. ]A. J. Kidnay and W. R. Parrish, Fundamentals of Natural Gas Processing, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL,
2006, p.16.

[7.] M.R. Riazi, S. Eser, J. L. Peña Díez, and S. S. Agrawal, “Introduction” In Petroleum Refining and Natural
Gas Processing, Editors: M. R. Riazi, S. Eser, J. L. Peña, S. S. Agrawal, ASTM International, West
Conshohocken, PA, 2013, p.12.

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