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, demethanizer at high pressure yields unique data - Oil & Gas Journal
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Home More Transportation Operating Eunice, La., demethanizer at high pressure yields unique data
11/15/2004
El Paso Field Services Co.'s demethanizer at its Eunice, La., gas plant has operated consistently at pressures
greater than 500 psig; this operation provides the industry a unique opportunity to collect real plant data for highpressure demethanizers.
Experience and available data for cryogenic gas processing plants with demethanizers operating at greater than 500
psig have been limited in the gas processing industry. Gas Processors Association member companies want to
improve cryogenic gas plant designs by reducing the required recompression horsepower.
Higher demethanizer operating pressures would allow an optimal recompression horsepower, which is normally
required for increasing lean residue gas to pipeline pressures.
Industry experience with cryogenic demethanizer columns operating at 200-450 psig is widely recognized. Typical tray
efficiencies for cryogenic demethanizers operating at 200-400 psig are reported in the literature.1
In many cases, operators do not consider demethanizer column designs greater than 500 psig because they approach
the columns' critical pressures. In some cryogenic gas plant designs, the higher pressure demethanizer operation also
allows one to process inlet feed with more CO2, without forming any CO2 solids in the demethanizer's cryogenic
sections.
This article provides calculated tray efficiency data based on data collected for El Paso's high-pressure column. These
data provide a reference point for future operations of this demethanizer and for high-pressure demethanizer designs
with similar trays.
This article also discusses other points for the design of high-pressure demethanizers.
Although there are many advantages for operating a demethanizer in a high-pressure mode, there are also drawbacks
that must be considered when designing a cryogenic gas plant.
Background
El Paso's large gas processing plant in Eunice, La., sits at the junction of the southern Louisiana pipeline systems of
ANR Pipeline Co. (an El Paso subsidiary), Texas Gas Transmission LLC, Louisiana Chalk Gathering System, and
Florida Gas Transmission Co.
http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/volume-102/issue-43/processing/operating-eunice-la-demethanizer-at-high-pr... 7/25/2013
Operating Eunice, La., demethanizer at high pressure yields unique data - Oil & Gas Journal
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The plant contains two cryogenic gas processing unitsCryo I and Cryo IIand a refrigerated lean oil plant to extract
NGLs from the pipeline gas. The facility fractionates NGLs extracted from the gas processing units and third-party
liquids into ethane, propane, butanes, and pentanes-heavier products.
The facility also has a centralized propane refrigeration system, cooling water, steam, and other essential utilities, as
well as product treatment, storage, loading, and other infrastructure.
Demethanizer system
http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/volume-102/issue-43/processing/operating-eunice-la-demethanizer-at-high-pr... 7/25/2013
Operating Eunice, La., demethanizer at high pressure yields unique data - Oil & Gas Journal
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Unlike many cryogenic gas-plant demethanizers, the El Paso column was designed with a partial-reflux condenser,
accumulator, and pumps to deliver reflux back to the column. The plant has a cascade ethane refrigeration system to
partially condense the overhead and provide necessary reflux to the column.
The reflux system is flow controlled with continuous monitoring. The column overhead flows to the condenser, which
has temperature-monitoring points at the inlet and outlet.
The column has a side reboiler to supply partial heat. It is integrated with the ethane refrigeration system to recover the
cold refrigeration.
The side reboiler draws liquids from the bottom of Tray 13, which are heated and partially vaporized with warm ethane
refrigerant and returned to the top of Tray 12. The side reboiler also has temperature-monitoring points on both sides to
measure its performance properly.
The main reboiler is heated with warm recompressor discharge; a steam-heated trim reboiler supplements the heat
requirements when necessary. The reboiler heat input is temperature controlled and adjusted based on the
methane:ethane ratio in the bottom NGL product.
NGL product is analyzed and removed from the reboiler with continuous flow measurement. The main and trim reboiler
systems have temperature-monitoring points and flow measurement for the steam supply.
The column is fed from two sources. The first is a low-pressure feed from the turboexpander discharge. The second
feed is a high-pressure condensed liquid stream separated at the knockout drum upstream of the expander.
Both streams have temperature monitoring to the demethanizer. The flow and composition of the combined plant feed
is continuously measured. The flow and composition of lean residue gas from the column reflux accumulator is also
measured and analyzed at the warm side of the gas-gas exchanger.
This demethanizer system is well equipped to monitor and measure column performance and efficiency. The column's
steady operation provided a good opportunity to measure tray efficiencies.
Composition and flow rates for the inlet gas, lean residue gas, and demethanized NGL product, which allow an
overall calculation of the material balance.
Reflux flow rate.
Flow (indirect or direct) and temperatures for heating steam to the column side and bottom reboilers to
determine the heat input at each location.
Temperatures in and out of the side and bottom reboilers for the column-side fluids.
Flow of ethane refrigerant (indirect or direct) to the condenser.
Temperatures on both sides of the overhead condenser.
Temperatures of both column feeds and column overhead.
These parameters would allow us to calculate an overall heat and material balance for the column. Also, additional
sample points (Fig. 3) for the column overhead to the condenser and reflux liquid provided additional data points. The
column can also monitor certain temperatures on the column trays.
The high-pressure demethanizer at El Paso's Eunice, La., gas plant consistently operates at greater than 500 psig (Fig.
2).
Before the test, we reviewed the instruments with plant personnel to ensure that the flow measurements on the
drawings were still in operation and properly calibrated.
Also, we prepared a list and marked drawings to ensure that all measurement points, including those recorded using
hand-held monitoring devices, were accounted for.
Column testing
We conducted two separate tests on different days. At the beginning of each test run, a quick check ensured that the
column had run steadily for several hours.
At the start of the first test, a preliminary heat and material balance determined if any additional data or adjustments in
the data collection process were needed to help with the test analysis.
We checked the flow, pressure, and temperature measurements to ensure that the data were consistent with the
overall heat and material balances.
Test results
The second test provided a better overall balance compared to the first test.
http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/volume-102/issue-43/processing/operating-eunice-la-demethanizer-at-high-pr... 7/25/2013
Operating Eunice, La., demethanizer at high pressure yields unique data - Oil & Gas Journal
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http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/volume-102/issue-43/processing/operating-eunice-la-demethanizer-at-high-pr... 7/25/2013
Operating Eunice, La., demethanizer at high pressure yields unique data - Oil & Gas Journal
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We attempted to take spot samples of the side liquid draw and the column bottom liquids to the reboiler. This was
difficult due to boiling liquids and the absence of a closed liquid-recirculation loop. The overall analysis was
inconsistent due to spot sampling errors and was not reliable for matching the simulation.
We recorded additional temperatures on Trays 3, 11, and 13 and closely matched them to the simulation. The
temperatures varied 3-6 F., with higher temperature differences in the bottom trays.
Findings
Based on plant test data and simulation results for the high-pressure demethanizer running at approximately 550 psig,
the tray efficiencies were about 24-25% in the top, 27-30% in the middle, and 34-35% in the bottom.
These results provide a reference point for future designs of high-pressure cryogenic demethanizer valve-tray
efficiencies.
High-pressure demethanizers can extract NGLs based on a specific plant designsuch as the availability of cold
refrigeration, high inlet pressures, higher CO2 levels in the inlet feed, etc.when it provides an economical advantage.
For high-pressure cryogenic demethanizer designs, one must consider:
The plant's startup may have more steps if the process is integrated with an external refrigeration system.
Different operating modes for the column reboiler system may require an additional heat source. This may
require a trim reboiler to supplement the column reboiler.
Additional safety considerations during the design, especially when the demethanizer is integrated with a
cascade refrigeration system.
Acknowledgment
The authors thank the personnel at the Eunice gas plant for supporting this performance test and allowing us to collect
and use the data.
References
1. "Engineering Data Book," 11th Ed., Gas Processors Suppliers Association, Tulsa, 1998.
2. Kister, H.Z., "Distillation Operation," McGraw-Hill Cos., New York,1989.
Based on a presentation to the 83rd Annual Convention of the Gas Processors Association, Mar. 14-17, 2004, New
Orleans.
The authors
Kamal Shah is a technical vice-president for Aker Kvaerner ASA, Houston, and has been with
the company for 17 years. Before that, he was a chief process engineer with Key Engineering
Group Ltd. He holds a BS and MS in chemical engineering from Michigan State University.
Barry Stucky is a principal engineer for El Paso Field Services Co., Houston, a position he has
held since January 2001. Before that, he was a facilities engineer for Coastal Field Services
Co. Stucky holds a BS (1986) in petroleum engineering from the University of Kansas. He is a
member of GPA.
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