PROCESS FOR SEPARATING AND RECOVERING NGLS FROM HYDROCARBON STREAMS

摘要

THIS PROCESS COMPRISES USING UNCONVENTIONAL PROCESSING OF HYDROCARBONS, E.G. NATURAL GAS, FOR RECOVERING C2+ AND NGL HYDROCARBONS THAT MEET PIPELINE SPECIFICATIONS, WITHOUT THE CORE HIGH CAPITAL COST REQUIREMENT OF A DEMETHANIZER COLUMN, WHICH IS CENTRAL TO AND REQUIRED BY ALMOST 100% OF THE WORLD’S CURRENT NGL RECOVERY TECHNOLOGIES. IT CAN OPERATE IN ETHANE EXTRACTION OR ETHANE REJECTION MODES. THE PROCESS USES ONLY HEAT EXCHANGERS, COMPRESSION AND SIMPLE SEPARATION VESSELS TO ACHIEVE SPECIFICATION READY NGL. THE PROCESS UTILIZES COOLING THE NATURAL GAS, EXPANSION COOLING, SEPARATING THE GAS AND LIQUID STREAMS, RECYCLING THE COOLED STREAMS TO EXCHANGE HEAT AND RECYCLING SELECTIVE COMPOSITION BEARING STREAMS TO ACHIEVE SELECTIVE EXTRACTION OF HYDROCARBONS, IN THIS INSTANCE BEING NGLS. THE COMPACTNESS AND UTILITY OF THIS PROCESS MAKES IT FEASIBLE IN OFFSHORE APPLICATIONS AS WELL AS TO IMPLEMENTATION TO RETROFIT/REVAMP OR UNLOAD EXISTING NGL FACILITIES. MANY DISPARATE PROCESSES AND DERIVATIVES ARE ANTICIPATED FOR ITS USE. FIG. 1