Natural-gas processing is a complex industrial process designed to clean raw natural

gas by separating impurities and various non-methane hydrocarbons and fluids to

produce what is known as pipeline quality dry natural gas.[1]
Natural-gas processing begins at the well head. The composition of the raw natural gas
extracted from producing wells depends on the type, depth, and location of the
underground deposit and the geology of the area. Oil and natural gas are often found
together in the same reservoir. The natural gas produced from oil wells is generally
classified as associated-dissolved, meaning that the natural gas is associated with or
dissolved in crude oil. Natural gas production absent any association with crude oil is
classified as non-associated. In 2004, 75 percent of U.S. wellhead production of
natural gas was non-associated.[2]
Most natural gas extracted from the Earth contains, to varying degrees, low molecular
weight hydrocarbon
compounds;
examples
includemethane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8)
and butane (C4H10).
When
brought to the surface and processed into purified, finished by-products, all of these are
collectively referred to NGL (Natural Gas Liquids). The natural gas extracted from coal
reservoirs and mines (coalbed methane) is the primary exception, being essentially a
mix of mostly methane and about 10 percent carbon dioxide (CO2).
Natural-gas processing plants purify raw natural gas extracted (a) from
underground gas fields or (b) at the surface from fluids produced byoil wells. A fully
operational plant delivers pipeline-quality dry natural gas that can be used as fuel by
residential, commercial and industrial consumers. Plant processes remove
contaminants; the NGL hydrocarbons, part of the contaminants, are recovered for other
commercial uses. For economic reasons, however, some plants may be designed to
yield an intermediate product typically containing over 90 per cent pure methane and
smaller amounts of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and sometimes ethane. This can be further
processed in downstream plants or used as feedstock for chemicals manufacturing.