14 Gas Dehydration

DEHYDRATION
What you should get out of this course.
The purpose of dehydration

Hydrate formation
The composition of the gas
Principles
The different processes
dehydration by glycol absorption
dehydration by methanol absorption
dehydration by adsorption
Diagram and location in the process
Operating a dehydration installation
Problems encountered
The process dehydration

Introduction
When the gas is at reservoir temperature and pressure, it is
generally saturated with water.
Water is responsible for:
most types of corrosion when it is associated

-
with acid gases (H2S and CO2)
- or salts (calcium carbonates)

hydrate formation
The gas therefore has to be processed to remove the water it

contains.

Purpose:
Treat to obtain hydrocarbons which meet the specifications

Optimise recovery of the hydrocarbons
Discharge the non-marketable effluents
Protect persons and installations
Facilitate transport in the pipelines (corrosion)
Prevent corrosion problems in the lift gas or injection gas
systems.
Prevent hydrate formation
Hydrate formation
Definition:
Crystal structures with a set geometry that require the presence of
water and components present in hydrocarbons, for their formation.
Hydrates are a major problem in the production and transport of natural

gas.
Hydrate formation
How do they form?
Presence of liquid water

Example: liquid water released by the gas during a change in the
pressure or temperature conditions
Presence of light hydrocarbons

Only the first four hydrocarbons (methane, ethane, propane, butane)
are likely to form hydrates in presence of liquid water (risk of hydrates
in the presence of CO2 or dH2S)
Favourable conditions: temperature and pressure

Hydrate formation conditions: pressure must be sufficiently high and
its temperature sufficiently low.
Hydrate formation
How do they form?
Certain factors contribute to hydrate formation

Vortices
Gas velocity
Bends, orifices, changes
High pressure
Self-amplifying effects
Low temperature
Each natural gas has its own specific hydrate formation range, which
depends on:
the density of the gas in relation to air (KATZ method)
its composition and solid-vapour equilibrium factors at P and T for
the most precise methods (CARSON and KATZ method).
Hydrate formation
How do they form?
The area where T < T1, is governed by the hydrate formation

curve.
The area where

T > T1,
is governed by the
dew point curve.
Hydrate formation
Why is it a problem?
Hydrate formation leads to:
water deposition due to condensation in the pipes or free water

from the reservoir may cause large pressure drops with risks of:
blocking of the pipes and equipment

production shutdown
risks of overpressure in the installations.
"water hammer" effects due to the liquid slugs

erosion
Water is responsible for most types of corrosion when it is

associated with
acid gases (H2S and CO2)

or salts (calcium carbonates).
Hydrate formation
Why is it a problem ?
If a pipe becomes blocked by hydrates, the hydrate
block adheres so strongly to the pipe walls and is so hard that it
cannot be removed by any normal mechanical means.
10
The gas composition

Commercial gas
H2S content: 1.5 to 4 ppm

Total sulphur and contaminants: 50 to 150 mg/Sm3
CO2 content: 2 to 3% molar mass
Water dew point: - 15C at 70 bar
Hydrocarbon dew point: - 2C at 70 bar
11
The gas composition

examples of different natural gas compositions
Composition
(% volume)
N2
1.50
H2O
1.00
H2S
15.30
CO2
9.30
C1
68.00
C2
3.00
C3
0.90
C4
0.50
C5
0.20
C6+
0.30
12
Principles
This solution consists of moving the hydrate formation curve
outside the facility's operating range. To achieve this, several
solutions are at our disposal.
Displacing the hydrate curve
inhibition by glycol or methanol.

Case of uses considered:
inhibition by non-recoverable
methanol (without regeneration)
inhibition by methanol,
regenerated for re-use
inhibiting with regenerated
diethylene glycol
13
Principles
Displacing the operating range
Maintain pressure
Increase temperature
Scope of application
reheaters
upstream
heat insulation
for the short pipes
short onshore gas
gathering systems.
heating upstream of the expansion nozzles (in certain cases).
acid gases or gases with non-negligible CO2 content.
Not recommended in the following cases
offshore
long distances.
high heating power
14
Principles
Displacing the operating range
Advantages
simple to install and implement.

no water condensation
no corrosion when there is H2S and/or CO2 present in the gas.
low investment costs when no major heat insulation on the
downstream line.
moderate operating costs.
Disadvantages
safety problems if bare flame equipment is used on gas

installations.
footprint and weight not negligible (offshore). high costs when heat
insulation is necessary
need for a reliable fuel gas supply or another source of heat
gas does not meet commercial standards with respect to water
content.
15
Principles
Displacement of the dew point curve
To avoid water condensation

in the dehydrating units
operating range by sufficient
gas dehydration.
long distance transport of gas at

commercial specifications.
offshore: large subsea lines
carrying gas containing CO2 (corrosion)
upstream of the cooler units.
Contre-indications
short gas gathering lines.

short offshore inter-platform links.
16
Principles
Displacement of the dew point curve
Advantages
no water condensation
no corrosion when there is H2S and/or CO2
good reliability
dew points obtained at commercial sales standards (-15 / -20C at
70 bar).
Disadvantages
relatively complex to install (investment)

safety problems if bare flame glycol reboiler used.
footprint not negligible (offshore)
continuous monitoring preferable.
17

dehydration by glycol absorption
18

dehydration by glycol absorption (cont'd)
Principle:
Absorption section
-
The glycol absorbs water
- The gas circulates from

bottom to top
-
the regenerated glycol

is injected at the top
of the absorber
19
arie
KOW:

Vapeur d'eau

Principle:
Condenseur
de tte
Regeneration section
nte parmi
urni
Glycol humide
water-laden glycol is
drawn off from the flash drum
Still column
Brleur
Rebouilleur
- series of filters
Filtre
glycol flows down

through the column
exits the column towards

the reboiler for regeneration
the water vapour exits

the distillation column in
the reverse direction
the concentrated glycol

exits the reboiler via
a weir
Colonne
de
stripping
Stripping
Fuel gas
Gaz
sec
Stockage
Gaz
de flash
Glycol sec
Gazoline
Glycol
Pompe glycol
Sparateur gazoline
glycol
20

Performances
most commonly used process

dew point -15 to -20 C at 70 bars
use of TEG preferred (Triethylene glycol)
protection of treatment units by cooling

protection of collection systems when there is no salt water
ingress or when there are WKOs at the well head.
protection on medium distance pipes.
subsea wells when there is no salt water ingress.
upstream of long-distance gas lines
protection of downstream lines
upstream of the turboexpander
presence of CO2 --> corrosion
21

Not recommended in the following cases :
long lines subject to corrosion, sea lines,

long pipes with many low points (there is a danger of the glycol
being unevenly distributed over the whole of the facility).
production of salt water (contamination by salts from the DEG at
regeneration).
22

dehydration by methanol absorption
Inhibition by methanol (not recovered)
Scope of application:
-
small installations
seasonal injection
small quantity of gas
subsea wells
short lines
stand-alone installation
- commissioning after testing

Not recommended in the following cases:
-
long lines
prohibitive quantity to be injected
23

dehydration by methanol absorption (cont'd)
Inhibition by methanol (regenerated)
Scope of application:
-
developments with subsea wells
- long distances
Not recommended in the following cases:
-
lines which are impossible to repair
prohibitive quantity to be injected
24

property of certain solids (= desiccants) to fix certain molecules on
their surface.
25

The main desiccants are:
Alumina: Good activity but becomes deteriorated by absorbing the

heavy hydrocarbons which are not eliminated by heating.
Silicagels: These are highly active amorphous substances, which are

easy to regenerate and which adsorb the heavy hydrocarbons to a
lesser degree. They are sensitive to liquid water.
Molecular sieves: These consist of zeolite crystals
26

Differences between the main desiccants:
27

dehydration by adsorption (molecular sieve)
28

Advantages and disadvantages of the various processes
Inhibition by glycol with regeneration
Advantages:
-
low glycol consumption in simple regeneration (little

vaporisation in the gas) )
no pollution problem (water eliminated during the vapour

phase).
- safe storage (low volatility product).

Disadvantages:
-
presence of liquid in the transport facility (injection flow rate

higher than that of the methanol)
corrosion if H2S or CO2 present
difficulties (or impossibility) to regenerate if salt water present
gas does not meet the specifications
29
Advantages and disadvantages of the different processes

Inhibition by methanol (not recovered)
Advantages:
simple to install
low investments
small equipment size
good reliability
Disadvantages:
creation of a two-phase flow
corrosion if H2S or CO2 present
high operating costs
methanol supply?
storage (safety)
gas does not meet the commercial standards with respect

to water content.
30

Advantages and disadvantages of the different processes
Inhibition by methanol with regeneration
Advantages:
-
good reliability
- no water discharge
Disadvantages:
-
presence of liquid in the lines
corrosion if H2S / CO2 present
loss of methanol (50%)
complex to install
gas does not meet specifications
31
Representation and location in the process

REPRESENTATION
PFD (Process Flow Diagram):

this document, which is issued during the project phase, shows
the main process lines and tanks and their main operating
parameters
32

Representation
P&ID (Piping & Instrumentation Diagram)

This document, which is issued during the project phase, shows
all the process lines and tanks and their main operating
parameters in a much more complex format than the PFD.
33
34

Location
35

Location (Example: Girassol)
36

Criticality
If the dehydration unit (TEG) shuts down, the methanol injection

is automatically opened at the column outlet.
If methanol injection is impossible, the following must be stopped:

gas-lift
gas injection
which generates a loss of production
37
Operating an installation
Absorption section
Parameters governing absorption
Concentration of the regenerated glycol

The glycol's purity level depends on:
The bath temperature in the reboiler.

The higher the temperature, the more water is released by the
TEG.
The limit is set at 204C because the TEG deteriorates above
215 C.
The operating pressure of the distillation column

Operating below atmospheric pressure generates higher
concentrations at equivalent temperatures.
The use of a dry gas stripping column.
With the stripping column, a level of 99.9% can be reached

(<98.7%).
38
Absorption section
Parameters governing absorption

Gas temperature in the absorber
The dew point at the top of the absorber depends on the

temperature there. A reduction in the gas temperature at the inlet
to the unit reduces the dew point at the outlet.
Glycol circulation rate
-
The minimum glycol circulation rate for a good glycol-gas

contact is approximately 15 litres per kg of water to be
removed from the gas.
Average flow rate of 25 l/kg of water to be removed, for a

conventional installation..
39
Absorption section
Normal operation
Downgraded operation
Dehydration column by
passed
MeOh pump operating
40
Regeneration section
Regeneration makes use of the distillation principle by heating

the glycol - water solution in a reboiler whose energy is normally
supplied either by a fire tube, or by electric heating elements
The temperature of the glycol bath in the reboiler must be

maintained at 204C, for example, for the TEG.
41
Recirculation system section
Pumps
Filtration
Pumps are used to circulate the glycol through the regeneration

system
The solid particles are stopped by the filters, which prevents them
being drawn into and deposited in the regeneration equipment by
the glycol.
The hydrocarbons present in the glycol are removed with an
activated charcoal filter which prevents foaming problems,
generally due to the presence of corrosion inhibitors, solid
particles, etc. in the crude.
pH neutralisation equipment
A chemical injection unit is used to neutralise the pH of the glycol,

which must be maintained at 6 -7 to prevent foaming.
42
Operating problems in the regeneration section
Glycol oxidation
The oxygen, which penetrates into the system through the

atmospheric storage tanks and pump seals, can oxidise the glycol
and form corrosive acids.
The use of a gas atmosphere is recommended in the storage
tanks
Thermal breakdown
An excessive temperature in the reboiler can break down the

glycol and form corrosive products (the TEG decomposition
temperature is 215C).
Local overheating may be caused by salt or bitumen deposits on
the fire tubes or heating tubes.
43
Controlling the pH
The acidity of the glycol is due to the two points mentioned above
and to the presence of acid compounds in the gas to be treated
(H2S, CO2) which increase the equipment corrosion rate.
The glycol must be maintained at a level of pH = 7 - 8 by injecting
a pH neutraliser
Deposits
Good filtration and activated charcoal treatment prevents the solid

particles and bituminous hydrocarbons from being deposited.
44
Foaming
Foaming may increase the glycol losses and reduce the capacity
of the equipment.
he causes of foaming are related to the presence of the following
in the glyco:
-
liquid hydrocarbons,
corrosion inhibitors,
salt,
fine particles in suspension.
Presence of condensates
The liquid hydrocarbons cause the glycol to foam.

They can be eliminated in the flash drum and in the activated
charcoal filters.
45
Salt contamination
The salt deposits increase the equipment corrosion rate, and

reduce the heating tube heat transfers.
This salt is transported by a fine water vapour mist, which can be

trapped by demister at the separator.
46

Glycol losses
The glycol losses increase the operating costs of this type of unit. They
can be caused by:
Vaporisation
These losses can be limited by sufficiently cooling the gas
upstream of the absorber.
Entrainment
The high points in the column are generally equipped with
internal systems (separator, demister, coalescer) designed to
prevent the glycol being mechanically entrained through the
system.
Mechanical leaks
Mechanical leaks can be reduced by keeping the pumps,
valves and other equipment on the lines correctly maintained
47

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14 Gas Dehydration

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DEHYDRATION

What you should get out of this course.

The purpose of dehydration

The process dehydration

The purpose of dehydration

Water is responsible for:

most types of corrosion when it is associated

with acid gases (H2S and CO2)

- or salts (calcium carbonates)

The gas therefore has to be processed to remove the water it

The process dehydration

The purpose of dehydration

Treat to obtain hydrocarbons which meet the specifications

The process dehydration

Hydrates are a major problem in the production and transport of natural

The process dehydration

Presence of liquid water

Presence of light hydrocarbons

Favourable conditions: temperature and pressure

The process dehydration

Certain factors contribute to hydrate formation

The process dehydration

The area where T < T1, is governed by the hydrate formation

The area where

The process dehydration

Hydrate formation leads to:

water deposition due to condensation in the pipes or free water

blocking of the pipes and equipment

"water hammer" effects due to the liquid slugs

Water is responsible for most types of corrosion when it is

acid gases (H2S and CO2)

The process dehydration

The process dehydration

The gas composition

H2S content: 1.5 to 4 ppm

The process dehydration

The gas composition

The process dehydration

Displacing the hydrate curve

inhibition by glycol or methanol.

The process dehydration

Not recommended in the following cases

The process dehydration

high heating power

simple to install and implement.

safety problems if bare flame equipment is used on gas

The process dehydration

To avoid water condensation

long distance transport of gas at

short gas gathering lines.

The process dehydration

relatively complex to install (investment)

The process dehydration

The different processes

The process dehydration

The different processes

The glycol absorbs water

- The gas circulates from

the regenerated glycol

The process dehydration

The different processes

dehydration by glycol absorption (cont'd)

glycol flows down