Natural Gas Liquids Recovery

NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS RECOVERY
INTRODUCTION
• Most natural gas is processed to remove the heavier hydrocarbon

liquids from the natural gas stream.
• These heavier hydrocarbon liquids, commonly referred to as

natural gas liquids (NGLs), include ethane, propane, butanes,
and natural gasoline (condensate).
• Recovery of NGLcomponents in gas for dew point control &

yields a source of revenue.
• Lighter NGL fractions, such as ethane, propane,and butanes, can

be sold as fuel or feedstock to refineries and petrochemical
plants, while the heavier portion can be used as gasoline-
blending stock.
Gas Condensate Reservoirs
• Gas condensate reservoirs have been defined as those hydrocarbon

reservoirs that yield gas condensate liquid in the surface separator(s).
• A retrograde gas condensate reservoir is one whose temperature is below

the cricondentherm (the maximum temperature at which liquid and vapor
phases can coexist in equilibrium for a constant-composition multicomponent
system).
• As pressure decreases below the dew point due to production, a liquid

phase develops within the reservoir, which process is called retro grade
condensation.
Figure 1: shows a pressure-temperature phase
d i a g r a m .
Options of Phase Change
• To recover and separate NGL from a bulk of gas stream, a

change in phase has to take place. In other words, a new phase
has to be developed for separation to occur. Two distinctive
options are in practice depending on the use of ESA or MSA.
Energy Separating Agent
(Refrigeration)
(Distillation)
Mass Separating Agent
• To separate NGL, a new phase is developed by using either a

solid material in contact with the gas stream (adsorption) or a
liquid in contact with the gas (absorption).
Parameters Controlling NGL Separation
• Operating pressure, P
• Operating temperature, T
• System composition or concentration, x and y
To obtain the right quantities of specific NGL constituents, a

control of the relevant parameters has to be carried out:
1. For separation using ESA, pressure is maintained by direct control.

Temperature, on the other hand, is reduced by refrigeration using
one of the following techniques:
(a) Compression refrigeration

(b) Cryogenic separation; expansion across a turbine
(c) Cryogenic separation; expansion across a valve
2. For separation using MSA, a control in the composition or the
concentration of the hydrocarbons to be recovered (NGL); y and x is
obtained by using adsorption or absorption methods.
In Summary
• The efficiency of condensation, hence NGL recovery, is a function of

P, T, gas and oil flow rates, and contact time. Again, absorption
could be coupled with refrigeration to enhance condensation.
• A proper design of a system implies the use of the optimum levels of

all operating factors plus the availability of sufficient area of contact
for mass and heat transfer between phases.
Figure 2:Thermodynamic pathways of different NGL recovery technologies.
Mechanical Refrigeration
Mechanical refrigeration is the simplest and most direct process

for NGL recovery. of condensate are expected. This process may
also lead to the recovery of liquified petroleum gas, where for
LPG recovery up to 90%, a simple propane refrigeration system
provides refrigeration at temperatures to −40o F.
Flow sheet of a mechanical refrigeration process

Salient Features
• propane as the refrigerant

• gas-to-gas heat exchanger recovers additional refrigeration
• The temperature of the cold gas stream leaving this exchanger

“approaches” that of the warm inlet gas
• The chiller in is typically a shell and tube, kettle-type unit

• The refrigerant (often propane) boils off and leaves the
chiller vapor space essentially as a saturated vapor.
• The thermodynamic path followed by the gas in an external

refrigeration process is shown as line ABC in Figure 2. From A
to B indicates gas-to-gas heat exchange; from B to C, chilling.
• Hydrate formation is prevented either by dehydration of the

gas or by injection of a hydrate inhibitor.
Choice of Refrigerant
• Any material could be used as a refrigerant. The ideal refrigerant is
nontoxic, non-corrosive, has Pressure-Volume-Temperature (PVT) and
physical properties compatible with the system needs, and has a high
latent heat of vaporization.
• The practical choice reduces to one, which has desirable physical
properties and will vaporize and condense at reasonable pressures at the
temperature levels desired.
Cascade Refrigeration
• Cascade refrigeration refers to two refrigeration circuits thermally
connected by a cascade condenser, which is the condenser of the low-
temperature circuit and the evaporator of the high-temperature circuit.
• A cascade system utilizes one refrigerant to condense the other primary
refrigerant, which is operating at the desired evaporator temperature.
This approach is usually used for temperature levels below −90◦F, when
light hydrocarbon gases or other low boiling gases and vapors are being
cooled.
Mixed Refrigerants
• An alternative to cascade refrigeration is to use a mixed refrigerant. Mixed

refrigerants are a mixture of two or more components. The light components
lower the evaporation temperature, and the heavier components allow
condensation at ambient temperature.
• The evaporation process takes place over a temperature range rather than
at a constant temperature as with pure component refrigerants. The mixed
refrigerant is blended so that its evaporation curve matches the cooling
curve for the process fluid.
• Heat transfer occurs in a countercurrent exchanger, probably an aluminum

plate fin, rather than a kettle-type chiller. Mixed refrigerants have the
advantage of better thermal efficiency because refrigeration is always being
provided at the warmest possible temperature.
Self-Refrigeration
In this process, the nonideal behavior of the inlet gas causes the
gas temperature to fall with the pressure reduction, as shown by
line ABC’ in Figure2. The temperature change depends primarily
on the pressure drop.
Flow sheet of a self-refrigeration system

• If the objective is to recover ethane or more propane than
obtainable by mechanical refrigeration, a good process can be
self-refrigeration, which is particularly applicable for smaller
gas volumes of 5 to 10 MMCFD.
• The self-refrigeration process is attractive if the inlet gas pressure

is very high. It is important that the reservoir pressure remain high
for the intended life of the plant.
• Low-pressure inlet gas favors a cryogenic refrigeration plant

or straight refrigeration process
Cryogenic Refrigeration
• Cryogenic refrigeration processes traditionally have been used

for NGL recovery.
• These plants have a higher capital cost but a lower operational

cost.
• In the cryogenic or turboexpander plant, the chiller or Joule–Thomson

(JT) valve used in two previous processes is replaced by an expansion
turbine.
• The expansion process is indicated as line ABC” in Figure 2.
• The turbine can be connected to a compressor, which recompresses

the gas with only a small loss in overall pressure.
Typical flow sheet of a cryogenic refrigeration plant
Schematic of Ortloff gas subcooled process
Schematic of Ortloff residue split-vapor process
Simplified flow diagram of an oil absorption plant
Schematic of a solid bed adsorption plant

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NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS RECOVERY

• Most natural gas is processed to remove the heavier hydrocarbon

• These heavier hydrocarbon liquids, commonly referred to as

• Recovery of NGLcomponents in gas for dew point control &

• Lighter NGL fractions, such as ethane, propane,and butanes, can

• Gas condensate reservoirs have been defined as those hydrocarbon

• A retrograde gas condensate reservoir is one whose temperature is below

• As pressure decreases below the dew point due to production, a liquid

• To recover and separate NGL from a bulk of gas stream, a

Energy Separating Agent

Mass Separating Agent

• To separate NGL, a new phase is developed by using either a

To obtain the right quantities of specific NGL constituents, a

1. For separation using ESA, pressure is maintained by direct control.

(a) Compression refrigeration

• The efficiency of condensation, hence NGL recovery, is a function of

• A proper design of a system implies the use of the optimum levels of

Mechanical refrigeration is the simplest and most direct process

Flow sheet of a mechanical refrigeration process

• propane as the refrigerant

• The temperature of the cold gas stream leaving this exchanger

• The chiller in is typically a shell and tube, kettle-type unit

• The thermodynamic path followed by the gas in an external

• Hydrate formation is prevented either by dehydration of the

• An alternative to cascade refrigeration is to use a mixed refrigerant. Mixed

• Heat transfer occurs in a countercurrent exchanger, probably an aluminum

Flow sheet of a self-refrigeration system

• The self-refrigeration process is attractive if the inlet gas pressure

• Low-pressure inlet gas favors a cryogenic refrigeration plant

• Cryogenic refrigeration processes traditionally have been used

• These plants have a higher capital cost but a lower operational

• In the cryogenic or turboexpander plant, the chiller or Joule–Thomson

• The expansion process is indicated as line ABC” in Figure 2.

• The turbine can be connected to a compressor, which recompresses

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