GAS SWEETENING BY AMINES

Yeison Fabiany Casas Pulido

Cod. 2135558
Juan Carlos Encinales Cifuentes
Cod. 2142083

Gas Engineering
2018-2
 Schedule
Introduction

Acid gas considerations

Chemical solvent processes

Amine Considerations

Amine Process

Design Amine Process

Conclusions
 Introduction

𝐻2 𝑆 𝐻2 𝑆
𝐻2 𝑆 𝐶𝑂2 𝐻2 𝑆 𝐶𝑂2
AMINE
𝐶𝑂2 𝐶𝑂2
𝐻2 𝑆 𝐻2 𝑆
Gas Sweetening Plant
The process for removing hydrogen
sulfide and carbon dioxide from a
natural gas is referred to as
“sweetening” the gas.

Amine solutions are used to

remove the hydrogen sulfide and
carbon dioxide.

The primary process for sweetening

natural gas is similar to processes of
glycol dehydration.
 Acid gas considerations

Acid Gases
• 𝐻2 𝑆 combined with water forms sulfuric acid. 𝐶𝑂2 combined
with water forms carbonic acid.

Sour Gas
• Sour gas is defined as natural gas with 𝐻2 𝑆 and other sulfur
compounds.

Sweet Gas
• Sweet gas is defined as natural gas without 𝐻2 𝑆 and other sulfur
compounds.
 Acid gas considerations

𝑪𝑶𝟐 Limitations 𝑯𝟐 𝑺 Limitations

• 2-4% for pipelines. • 0.0004% H2S (4 ppm)

• Lowers Btu content. • 2 ppm for LNG plants
• Corrosive. • Toxic.
• 20 ppm for LNG plants. • Corrosive.
 Partial Pressure
• Partial pressure >30 psia (207 kPa)
Partial pressure is used would
as an indicator if treatment
indicate corrosion is required.
might be
𝐶𝑂2 expected.
• Below 15 psia (103 kPa) would indicate
corrosion would not be a problem
although inhibition may be required.

PP = (total pressure of system) x (mol% of gas)

𝐻2 𝑆 • Partial pressure >0.05 psia (0.34 kPa)

necessitates treating.
 Partial Pressure
𝑯𝟐 𝑺 removal - No 𝑪𝑶𝟐 𝑪𝑶𝟐 removal - No 𝑯𝟐 𝑺

Source: ARNOLD, K,, STEWART, M, Surface Production Operations, Vol. 2, Third Edition.
 Partial Pressure
Removal 𝑯𝟐 𝑺 and no 𝑪𝑶𝟐 Selective Removal 𝑯𝟐 𝑺 in presence
of 𝑪𝑶𝟐

Source: ARNOLD, K,, STEWART, M, Surface Production Operations, Vol. 2, Third Edition.
 Chemical solvent processes
Chemical solvent processes utilize an aqueous solution of a weak base to chemically react with
and absorb the acid gases in the natural gas stream.

• Most Common Chemical Solvents:

Amines

Carbonates
 Amine Considerations

HC GROUP

NITROGEN

Primary Secondary Tertiary

 Amine Considerations
• HC Groups:

• Ethanol

• Glycol

• Isopropanol

• Methyldiethanol
 Amine Considerations

Ethanol

Ethanol
H

N Ethanol N Ethanol
Ethanol N Ethanol

Ethanol
Methyl
H H

Monoethanolamine Methyldiethanolamine
Diethanolamine Triethanolamine
Video
Amine Process Description
 Amine Process Description
Condenser
Sweet Gas 8 psig
100 F Acid Gas
220 F

Amine Pump 180 to 200 F Reflux

Replacement amine Valve-2
Air Cooler Acumulator
Reflux Pump
Contact Lean Amine
tower 12 psig
Fuel gas
75 to 100 Regenerating
Valve-1 psig Tower
90 F
Rich Amine 225 to 260 F Reclaimer
Sour 140 F Flash
Gas Separator Reboiler
Scrubber
280 to 300 F
Heat
Exchanger Lean Amine
Liquid
Booster Pump
 Monoethanolamine Systems
The process is well proven and can meet pipeline specifications.
MEA is a stable compound and, in the absence of other chemicals,
suffers no degradation or decomposition at temperatures up to its
normal boiling point.

T= 338,9 ℉

Source: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etanolamina
Monoethanolamine Systems
Change 245 ℉ at 10
Regeneration Temperature psig

Heat stable
Disadvantages salts
oxazolidone

The reclaimer is When the contaminants

periodically shut in and are removed
Reclaimer the collected
contaminants are cleaned
from the system, any
MEA bonded to them is
out. also lost.
 Solution concentration and solution loading
15%- 20%
Operating experience indicates that the solution loading should not
be >0.3-0.4 mol of acid gas per mole of MEA and is largely
determined by the H2S/CO2 ratio

Corrosion considerations
Corrosion commonly shows up in areas of carbon steel that have been stressed,
such as heat affected zones near welds, areas of high acid gas concentration, or
at a hot gas and liquid interface.
 Foam considerations
MEA systems foam rather easily resulting in excessive amine
carryover from the absorber.

Condensed hydrocarbons

Degradation products

Solids (carbon or iron sulfide)

Excess corrosion inhibitor

Valve grease
 MEA losses
MEA has the lowest boiling point and the highest vapor pressure of
the amines. This results in MEA losses of 1-3 lbs/MMSCF (16-48 kg/
MM m3) of inlet gas.

Source:https://www.elconfidencial.com/economia/2009-10-14/la-banca-espanola-necesitara-
cinco-anos-para-provisionar-sus-perdidas-reales-segun-moody-s_377012/
 Diethanolamine Systems
DEA is a secondary amine and is also used to treat natural gas to
pipeline specifications. As a secondary amine, DEA is less alkaline
than MEA. DEA systems do suffer the same corrosion problems,
but not as severely as those using MEA.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diethanolamine
 Diethanolamine Systems

Solution 25% to 35% DEA by weight in water

DEA has significant advantages over MEA when

COS or CS2 are present.

Stripping No DEA losses

Source: https://www.emojistickers.com/products/thumbs-up-sign
 Reclaimer
High CO2 levels have been observed to cause DEA degradation to
oxazolidones. DEA systems usually include a carbon filter but do not
typically include a reclaimer due to the small amount of degradation
product.

Source: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/waste-gas-activated-carbon-absorption-tower_60389972424.html
 Solution concentration and solution loading

DEA MEA
Molecular weight 105 61

Amount for react 1,7 lbs 1 lbs

Loadings for DEA systems range from 0.35 to 0.65 mol of acid gas per
mole of DEA without excessive corrosion. The result of this is that the
circulation rate of a DEA solution is slightly less than in a comparable
MEA system.
 Di-glicol-amine Systems
DGA is a primary amine used in the Fluor Econamine process to
sweeten natural gas. Reactions of DGA with acid gases are the same
as those for MEA. Unlike MEA, degradation products from reactions
with COS and CS2 can be regenerated.

50%- 70% 0,3 mol of acid / mole DGA

By weight in water

Corrosion in DGA systems is slightly less

than in MEA systems.
 Diisopropanolamine Systems
Diisopropanolamine (DIPA) is a secondary amine used in the Shell “ADIP”
process to sweeten natural gas.
Carbonyl sulfide (COS) can be removed and the DIPA solution can
Advantages: be regenerated easily, and the system is generally noncorrosive
and has a lower energy consumption. DIPA will preferentially
remove H2S.

Source: http://www.stickpng.com/es/img/iconos-logotipos-emojis/marcas-emblematicas/logo-shell

It is similar to DEA systems

 MDEA System
Advantages: Major advantage over other amine processes is MDEA can be
used to selectivity remove H2S in the presence of CO2

If the gas is contacted at pressures ranging from 800 to 1000 psig

(5500-6900 kPa), H2S levels can be reduced to concentrations required
by pipelines. While at the same time, 40-60% of the CO2 present flows
through the contactor, untreated.
40% to 50% MDEA by weight 0.2 to 0.4 or more moles of acid gas
1 mole of MDEA
Procedure for sizing an Amine System

Determine a flash tank size.

Determine rich/lean amine exchanger duty.

Set the stripper overhead condenser outlet temperature based on a 20-

30 F approach to the maximum ambient temperature, and calculate the
flow rates of acid gases and steam.
Procedure for sizing an Amine System
Determine the condenser duty and reflux rate by performing an
energy balance around the stripper.

Size the reflux accumulator.

Determine the lean amine cooler duty and the lean amine
temperature leaving the rich/lean amine exchanger as determined
earlier.

Determine horsepower requirements for the booster pump and

main circulation pump