Natural Gas Processing

J.M. Campbell & Company
Overview of Gas Plant Processing
Fundamentals of Natural Gas Processing
Kidnay, Parish, & McCartney, CRC Press, 2011
Total Production System
CO2 for EOR
Sales Gas to Pipeline
Gas Lift and
Injection

Crude Oil Ethane

Propane
Gas
N-Butane LPG NGLs
Processing
I-Butane
Module
Natural Gasoline
Plant Condensate
Sulfur

Field Condensate

Compression Field Treating

(optional) (optional)

Solution
Gas

Oil Gas Gas

Production Well Well Production Well
Separators Separators

Gas Cap or
Non-associated Gas
Associated Gas

Oil Water
Water
Water

Adapted with permission from Gas Processors Association (GPA), Tulsa, Oklahoma
Typical Integrated Production Facility

Gas CO2 and/or Sulfur

Processing

Compression
Compression (optional) Gas Sales
(optional) or Reinjection
NGLs
Compression
Gas
NGL Sales
Production Gas Gas
Reservoir
Separation
Crude Oil/Condensate
Oil
Stabilization
Water and Dehydration Crude Oil/Condensate
Sales
Oil Water
Water to disposal
Produced Water (sea or reinjection)
Treating
Gas Processing Module

Tail Gas

H2S & Sulfur Product

Other SRU/TGU
S Compounds
Vent Or
CO2 Reinjection

Natural Gas Sales

Produced
Conditioning NGL
Gas
Extraction
Stream
Fuel

H2O NGL
Stabilization/ Product Sales
Disposal Fractionation Treating or
Condensate

Stabilization/
Conditioning NGL Extraction Fractionation Product Treating
1) Dehydration 1) Hydrocarbon dewpoint 1) Demethanizer 1) Dehydration
2) Sweetening control 2) Deethanizer 2) Sweetening
2) Deep NGL extraction 3) Depropanizer 3) CO2 Removal
Gas Dehydration Processes

Mol Sieve

TEG DRIZO
Temperature Methanol Injection
< –40C
40ºC
Temperature
> –40C
40ºC
NGL MEG Injection
Extraction TEG w/ Enhanced
Pipeline Regeneration
Specification Methanol Injection
Refrigeration
Ambient
Temperature
TEG
Silica Gel
Membranes
Mechanical Refrigeration System With MEG 
Injection
Glycol Dehydration
Typical Amine Type Sweetening Process
J‐T Valve Expansion
Liquid Recovery Driven by Price

Gas Propane
$/MMBtu ¢/gal $/MMBtu
Month Price Price Price
March 2.382 127.7500 15.173
April 2.535 127.7500 15.173
May 2.638 128.0000 15.203
June 2.714 128.5625 15.270
July 2.779 129.2500 15.352
Aug 2.807 129.9375 15.433
Sep 2.817 130.6250 15.515
Oct 2.864 131.3750 15.604
Nov 3.020 132.1250 15.693
Dec 3.305 132.8750 15.782
Jan 3.436 133.6875 15.879
Feb 3.442 132.8125 15.775

Ref: http://opisnet.com/market/samples/OPIS_NGL_Forwards_Report.pdf