ENSC3019 Unit Operations S2 2015

LNG / Gas Process Engineering

Example for Process Modules
Acknowledgments:
Dr. John Boxall (2012)
Various Slides adapted from Terry Edwards, Process Modules lectures
Wesfarmers process slides for Process Modelling course
Figures GPSA Handbook and Campbell, Gas Conditioning and Process Vol2

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Background

http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2013/04/f0/LNG_primerupd.pdf

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Background

http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2013/04/f0/LNG_primerupd.pdf

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Background

https://www.spe-qld.org/useruploads/files/aug_2011_final_lng_presentation_rev3_%5Bcompatibility_mode%5D.pdf

Separation and Processing of Well

Fluids
Domestic Pipeline Sales

Not necessary
on NWS

LNG
Processing

LNG Storage
and Sales

LPG
Extraction

LPG
Sales

Ethane
Extraction

Petrochemicals &
Gas to Liquids

LNG Production Cascade Refrigeration

Inlet Gas: Methane (and some N2)

Always requires some front

end treatment
acid gas removal
dehydration
mercury removal

Liquid hydrocarbon removal

Distillation and absorption

Liquefaction through a
refrigerant cycle
Refrigeration
Heat Exchangers

-161 C

Phillips Optimized Cascade LNG Process

GAS TREATING (SWEETENING)

Gas sweetening (CO2 removal, also H2S)

Gas Sweetening Absorption Processes

Separate CO2 from NG
Gas supply at high pressure (>35 bar)
Typically also removes hydrogen sulphide (H2S) as well

Removal specifications
< 2 % (pipeline)
< 50 ppm (LNG plant feed)

Covered in Gas-liquid absorption columns

Gas sweetening: Example

CO2/H2S Removal using amine based
solvent
Information:
1,000 Sm3/day gas @ 6000 kPa
0.4% H2S, 3.0% CO2
20% solution of DEA

What circulation rate is required?

Estimate the plant requirements

10

Dr, Dc in mm, Q in MSm3/day, P in kPa

Simplified Design Calcs: GPSA Handbook

Gas sweetening: Example

QDEA = 360(Qy/x) = 360(1.0*3.4/20) = 61.2 m3/h
Add both acid gas concentrations
1 MSm3 = 1000 Sm3
Dc = 10750*sqrt(1.0/6000) = 1221 = 1200 mm (1.2 m)
Based on gas flowrate and density (pressure)
Quite reasonable diameter for a column
Dr = 160*sqrt(61.2) = 1251 = 1300 mm (1.3 m)
Based on amine flowrate
Above feed point regen diameter ~67% or 900 mm
Reboiler
H = 93*61.2 = 5690 kW
A = 4.63*61.2 = 286 m2
etc. for other process equipment

Simulation tools providing greater design

flexibility/accuracy Example VMGSim

12

DEHYDRATION

13

Dehydration to get Natural Gas & Condensate to Shore:

1. To prevent hydrate formation which would block subsea pipeline
2. To prevent internal corrosion of subsea pipeline
Export Gas Pipeline

Dew-point
Control or
Glycol
Dehydration
Glycol and
Molecular Sieve
Dehydration

Dehydration onshore:
1. As above but may need even tighter dew-point control
2. Meet a sales gas water content spec.

Dehydration of a gas stream, TEG

absorption and regeneration

15

Gas Dehydration:
Water Content
What is the saturated water content
for a sweet gas that is at 50 C and
15000 kPa if the gas has a
molecular weight of 45 g/mol?

If the first gas processing stage will

decrease the temperature to 10 C
without significantly changing the
pressure, is dehydration critical
prior to this initial processing stage,
and if so why?.

16

Gas Dehydration

0.93

Information:
Temp 50 C
Pressure 15000 kPa
Molecular weight of 45 g/mol

Uncorrected Water Content:

1050 mg water/sm3 wet gas

Correction for molecular

weight of gas / gas density:
0.93

Corrected Water Content:

= 1050 * 0.93
= 977 mg water/sm3 wet gas
17

50 C

Gas Dehydration
If the first gas processing stage will
decrease the temperature to 10 C
without significantly changing the
pressure, is dehydration critical
prior to this initial processing stage,
and if so why?.

18

(Petrobras Hydrate Plug Removed

from Pig-Catcher)
19

TEG Dehydration example

A Natural gas stream saturated with
water enters a triethylene glycol
(TEG) contactor at 50 C. The gas
leaving the contactor must have a
water dew point below 0C. What is
the minimum concentration of TEG
solution coming back from the
regeneration required to dehydrate the
gas if a 10 C approach to equilibrium
in the column is assumed?
Equilibrium data for TEG contactors
is provided in the Figure.

20

TEG Dehydration example

Information:
Temperature 50 C
Leaving water dew point 0C
10 C approach to equilibrium Temperature

~ 99.4 wt%
TEG

21

Physical properties of glycols

22

Hysys Example of a TEG Stripper and

Regeneration Process Modelling

23

Why are Glycols not enough for LNG?

24

Other Dehydration
Gas adsorption
Molecule Sieves common in gas processing
As pointed out adsorption topics not considered in process
modules

Gas Permeation
Membrane dehydration

25

Mole Sieve gas

dehydration

Wet Feed Gas in

at top

Between 5000kg & 10000 kg in

each tower

Packed in a
tower

26

Dry Feed Gas

out at bottom

Adsorption and Regeneration Cycling

27

Wet gas

Dry
gas
Dehydration at Apaches plant at Varanus Island, NWS

GAS PROCESSING

29

Successive distillation/absorption to remove heavier

components mostly just methane for LNG
To LNG

Absorption

De-ethanizer
30

De-propanizer

De-butanizer

Westfarmers Straddle NGL plant: Distillation

fractions heavier components to LPGs

31

Simulation (Hysys etc.) would typically be

used for multi-component distillation (MCD)
But, McCabe-Thiele Approach for MCD can give initial estimate.
Example: de-propanizer
0.01 ethane, 0.64 propane, 0.3 butanes, 0.05 pentanes
top product with < 0.01 butane, bottom <0.02 propane
Light Key Propane
Heavy Key n-Butane
Relative Volatility, = 3.0
Non key components: ethane, n-pentane

32

Equilibrium line - relative volatility of key components

1

Y Propane Vapour Composition

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

Propane Liquid Composition

0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Also need: Operating lines, Reflux Ratio, Feed

Goal: top product with < 0.01 butane, bottom <0.02 propane
Lecture 2

Example Reflux Ratio: 1.3

Example Feed: Saturated
Vapour leaving an
expansion and heat removed
through heat exchanger
Assume 65% propane
34

Rectifying section operating line using reflux ratio

Y
0.9

0.8

intercept
0.99/(1.3+1) = 0.43

0.7

0.99,0.99
(< 0.01 butane)

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

350.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Feed line for the saturated vapour

1

Y
0.9

Saturated Vapour Horizontal Line

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.65 feed (0.64 + 0.01)

0.1

(Feed = 65% propane)

0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

360.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Operating line for stripping section

1

Y
0.9

Feed and operating line intersection

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

(< 0.02 propane)

0.1

Bottom composition: 0.02, 0.02

0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

370.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

McCabe-Thiele MCD w/ binary of Key components

1

Draw in Stages

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

McCabe-Thiele MCD w/ binary of Key

components
Theoretical stages - 29
In reality would require more stages
Efficiency of each stage not 100% - not at equilibrium
And of course this is only an estimate

39

Example Hysys simulation for the production

of natural gas liquids (NGL)

40

REFRIGERATION

41

LNG Production: Refrigeration required to 160 C

-161 C

Even NGL significant cooling required

LNG - MCHE

Wesfarmers example: Turbo-expander

43

Example using the information provided:

Expansion from 5900 kPag to 2800 kPag.
Inlet Temperature -45 C, Exit -75 C (~230, 200 K).
Draw Process on P-h diagram (methane) and Estimate Isentropic Efficiency

44

Expansion in a turbo expander

hout = hin + hisentropic isentropic

Turbo-expansion process
Need:
hout

645

hin

670

hisentropic

605

hisentropic

-65

isentropic = (hout hin ) / hisentropic

40 %

605

45

645

650

670

750

40% Isentropic efficiency reasonable?

Short answer, no
Typically greater than 80%

Why?
Methane used as the refrigerant for the P-h diagram,
example from Wesfarmers is on their NGL train and
would contain other components

46

Interested in process design?

http://www.arrowenergy.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/
0003/1938/0620-20Project20Description20-20LNG20Plant.
pdf

Interested in learning more?

http://www.arrowenergy.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/
0003/1938/0620-20Project20Description20-20LNG20Plant.
pdf