Gas treating

Hammerfest LNG process

2008
 2

Nitrogen

General Block Diagram

Nitrogen
Fuel gas Fuel gas
removal

Slug catcher Inlet facilities Acid gas Dehydration Mercury Pre-cooling

and pigtrap Metering treating removal Liquefaction
Feed

H2S, CO2 Water Mercury

Lean Hydrate
hydrate inhibition Refrigerant Fractionation
inhibition recovery makeup

LNG storage LNG loading LNG

and jetty to ship
Bulk water

LPG storage LPG

to ship

Condensate Condensate Condensate

treatment storage to ship
Utility Flare Control
System Facilities room
 HAMMERFEST LNG PLANT
1
3
OMRDE 2
2 Naturgass
kjletrn

Nitrogenfjerning
kjletrn
Prosess
understasjon

Prosessomrde, lekter

Kompresjonsomrde, lekter

Elektrisk
kraftproduksjon
 4

Why treat the gas?

To obtain gas specifications
To protect equipment
Environmental reasons

Type of process or equipment depend on specifications

Pipeline gas
NGL pre-treatment (Krst plant)
LNG pre-treatment (Hammerfest LNG plant)
Cost will vary!
 5

Typical Gas Quality Parameters in Europe

(Pipeline gas)
GQHWG Gas Quality parameters
Parameter Unit Min Max
Wobbe Index kWh/Nm 3 13,6 - 13,76 15,7-15,81
Relative density 0,555 0,7
GCV kWh/Nm 3 10,1-10,2 13,1-13,2
Total S mg/Nm 3 30,0
H2S + COS (as S) mg/Nm 3 5,0
Mercaptans (as S) mg/Nm 3 6,0
O2 ppm 10 - 100
CO2 mol % 2,5
o
H2O DP C @ 70 bar(a) -8
o
HC DP C @ 1- 70 bar(a) -2
 6

Treatment in Hammerfest LNG plant

Acid gas removal (Unit 22)
Water removal or dehydration (Unit 23)
Mercury removal (Unit 21)
Heavy hydrocarbon removal (Part of unit 25)
 7

Gas treatment in LNG processes

CO2

Limited solubility in LNG

50 100 ppmv
(-73C)
Freeze out on cold surfaces

Corrosion in combination with free water

(-101C)
H2S

4 ppmv
(-129C)
Product specification

Water
(-157C)
<0.1 0.5 ppmv

Freeze out on cold surfaces

Mercury

< 0.01 mikro-g/Nm3

CO2 solubility in LNG
Solidification and reaction with aluminium /corrosion

Aromatic (benzene/toluene) and heavy hydrocarbons

1 10 ppmv

Freeze out on cold surfaces

 8

Acid Gas Treating

Main methods for acid gas removal
Absorption process
Washing process using a solvent for separation of sour components (CO2, H2S etc) from the gas
Chemical absorption
Physical absorption
Hybrid process
Adsorption
Using a solid surface
Other
Membranes
Cryogenic separation
Freeze out
 9

Absorption processes
Physical absorption process.

Based on solubility of CO2 in a chemical (Rectisol ,Selexol, Purisol)

Advantageous at high partial pressures of CO2 ( PCO2 = YCO2 * P)

Disadvantage - Co solution of hydrocarbons

Chemical absorption process.

Based on exothermic reversible chemical reaction (solvent heats up)

Alkanolamines most common

MEA, DEA, MDEA DIPA

Mixed amines (MDEA + piperazine). Activated or accelerated MDEA

Regenerated by endothermic stripping process (heat supplied)

Disadvantage Regeneration energy (varies with chemical)

 10

Adsorption processes (Cont.)

Hybrid solutions

Mixed physical and chemical (Sulfinol )

Alkanolamines short names:
MEA monoethanolamine
DEA diethanolamine
MDEA Methyl Di-Ethanol Amine
aMDEA activated MDEA Hammerfest LNG
DGA diglycolamine
DIPA di-isopropanolamine

Most cost effective for larger plant, but also applied for smaller plant like Kollsnes LNG plant.

Most amines are water based solutions which need drying afterwards

For Hammerfest a BASF process is selected with about 50 wt% MDEA in the water. An activator/accelerator is
also used.
 11

Other processes
Adsorption

Smaller concentration and flow rate

Other sulphur components like mercaptans

Membrane process

Bulk removal

Cryogenic removal

Cooling and distillation

High concentration

Freeze out

Taking advantage of low solubility

Integrate in liquefaction part

 12

CO2 Removal e
n at
o b
s
nt s ar
Physical Solvents

1,000 C
e
lv ent um
Gas Permeation
o i
a l S olv ss
c S t a n
ysi cal /Po tio Hammerfest
i a
Ph hys ine me
+ Amine

P Am Per
+ as Physical Solvents Pco2-feed: ~50 psi
G
100
Pco2-prod: ~0.05 psi
Partial Pressure Acid Gas Feed (psia)

Physical solvents or Potassium Carbonate

Potassium Carbonate
Inhibited Concentrated Amine
Gas Permeation

Gas Permeation, Potassium Carbonate or Amine

10
Gas Permeation

Amine

0.1 1.0 10 100

Partial Pressure Acid Gas Product (psia)

 13

CO2 and H2S Removal

1,000

Economine Hammerfest
Selexol
DEA Pco2-feed: ~50 psi
Physical Solvents
Pco2-prod: ~0.05 psi
100
Partial Pressure Acid Gas Feed (psia)

Physical solvents or Economine

Amine, Sulfinol
or Carbonates

10

Amine or
Sulfinol

0.1 1.0 10 100

Partial Pressure Acid Gas Product (psia)

 14

Criteria for solvent selection

Feed gas characteristic (CO2 content, H2S content etc).

Ability to meet the specifications

Rate capability

Reaction rate

Diffusion rate

Heat of reaction

Loading capabilities.

Desired to have high capability in absorber and low in stripper.

Variation due to impact of other components and pressure

Selectivity (CO2, H2S)

Reliability in operation

Foaming

Fouling

Corrosion (material selection)

Chemical stability, volatility, toxicity, price

 15

Acid Gas Treating

Principal Amine system

CO2
Purified Gas CW

Water
Gas
Rich Amine

Hot Oil

Lean Amine

Absorbing
MEA + H2S MEA hydrosulphide + heat
MEA + H2O + CO2 MEA carbonate + heat
High pressure and Low temperature
 16

Acid Gas Treating

CO2
Purified Gas CW

Water
Gas
Rich Amine

Hot Oil

Lean Amine

Regenerating
MEA hydrosulfide + heat MEA + H2S
MEA carbonate + heat MEA + H2O + CO2
Low pressure and High temperature
 CO2 Removal 17

Treated gas to Dehydration

Reg. gas

Lean MEG
MEG/CO2 N2
Absorber
Column
Water
Saturated p = 2 bara
Anti Foam
p = 66 bara T = 44 C
Treated Gas
T = 45 C Lean MDEA
Wash Column,
MDEA Wash
Lean MDEA
MEG wash
p = 65 bara
T = 27 C

22-QT-101
Package Unit

5.3 vol% CO2 p

= 66 bara
Demin. T = 32 C
Water Rich MDEA
Demin.
Feed Gas
Water

Feed Gas
Waste Water
Wash Water
Wash Water
Stabilizer
Overhead CO2 Removal H2O/Acid
18

Gas mixture

CO2
CO2
Stripper
Flash Gas
SW CO2
4
Anti Foam 1 Separator
p = 1.5 bara
Lean MDEA T = 113 C
p = 1.2 bara
SW T = 20 C

SW
H.O. H.O.

Water Purge

Rich SW
MDEA
MDEA
Demin. Water

Wash Lean MDEA

MDEA Drain
Water N2
Skimming
Header

Lean
Tempered MDEA to
Heating part I
Water

MDEA Storage Tank HC-Waste

 19

CO2 loading. Example

Absorber
Low or medium temperature
Stripper
High temperature
 20

Packed column design

Increase contact area

Increased efficiency
Reduced flooding and pressure drop
Reduce height, diameter and weight
 21

Dehydration
Specifications is important for process selection
The water removal process start at the wellhead

Typical processes
Cooling and expansion combined with separation process
Absorption process
Adsorption process
The natural gas will be saturated with water from the amine process.
 22

Hydrates! > MEG injection

HYDRATE EQUILIBRIUM CURVES
WEIGTH % MEG (OF TOTAL MEG AND WATER)

250

200
PRESSURE [BARA]

Water
10 w%MEG
150
20 w% MEG
30 w% MEG
100
40 w% MEG
50 w% MEG
50

0
-20 -10 0 10 20 30
TEMPERATURE [C]
 23

Water content in natural gas

P-T diagram

200
180
Hydrat Vann
160
140

Trykk [Bar]
120
Hydrokarbon
100
80
60
40
20
0
-150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150
Temperatur [C]

PVT MODEL

DIAGRAM
 24

Gas Drying by adsorption

Adsorption in to a solid material
Used in deep gas processing like Krst, Snhvit with cold process systems
Removal of smaller amounts of water
Extreme dryness, down to 0.1 ppm
Dehydration to this specification is the exclusive field of molecular sieves.
Porous structure that contains very large internal surface area
200 800 m2/g
Strong affinity for water
5 15 % by weight
Solids like
Molecular sieve (3A or 4A type)
Silica gel
Regenerative process
 25

Water removal by adsorption

 26

Dehydration/Mercury removal
Reg. gas
for MDEA
Wash Tempered T = 23 C
Water
Water content of
700 mol ppm p =
64.5 bara T =
27 C

Treated gas

3 parallel
T = 233 C Effluent
Molecular
Sieve Beds
LNG from
H.O. Fuel Gas
T = 233 C

C1 Make-up Reg. gas

H.O.
10 ng/Sm3
Hg

Liquefaction
150 ng/Sm3 Hg

Dry Feed
0.1 mol ppm

Gas to
Condensate

LNG to Distribution
LNG
Drying Line
 27

Mass transfer in adsorption bed

 28

Mercury removal
Chemical reaction with aluminium. Corrosion
Health, safety and environmental
Requirement: < 0.01 g/Nm3 (Detection limit in earlier days)
Detection limit
0.002 0.003 microgram/Nm3
Speciation (Type of mercury components)
Elementary in gas
Ionic (in water)
Organic / metallic species
 29

Mercury removal in bed

Reaction between Hg and

metal sulphide (typical alumina) forming
HgS.
Removal and regeneration in special plants
Typical intervals 6 years
 30

Bed loading Hg removal

 31

Fixed bed removal of Hg

www.synetix.com
 32

Heavy Hydrocarbon removal

Obtaining sales specification related to GCV and wobbe index
Removal of heavy hydrocarbons with low solubility in LNG
Special aromatics like benzene and toluene
 33

Feedgas from
pre-processing
Natural Gas Liquefaction Circuiting

Precooling Lique- Subcooling

faction
N2/CH4 to
nitrogen
removal

CH4 from
nitrogen
LPG Fractionation removal
Refrigerant make-up

LNG
 34

Hydrocarbon (+N2,CO2) phase envelope

 35

Some general points on process selection

Depending on the feed concentration
Capital costs
Energy consumption and operational costs
Environmental aspects
Hydrocarbon losses
Chemical losses
Type of chemicals
 Remove H2S 36

and CO2 to Mercury cause Nitrogen

avoid solids in
General Block Diagram LNG HXs
corrosion of
Obtaining
Aluminium Nitrogen
Fuel gas Fuel gas GCV.
HX removal
Removal
of heavies
Slug catcher Inlet facilities Acid gas Dehydration Mercury Pre-cooling
and pigtrap Metering treating removal Liquefaction
Feed

H2S, CO2 Water Mercury

Lean Hydrate
hydrate inhibition Refrigerant Fractionation
inhibition recovery makeup

LNG storage LNG loading LNG

Avoid ice in and jetty to ship
Bulk water
liquefaction
LPG storage LPG
to ship

Condensate Condensate Condensate

treatment storage to ship
Utility Flare Control
System Facilities room