Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 14 (2013) 116e120

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Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jngse

Natural gas sweetening process simulation and optimization: A case

study of Khurmala field in Iraqi Kurdistan region
R.K. Abdulrahman a, *, I.M. Sebastine b
a
School of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Koya University, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
b
School of Science & Engineering, Tesside University, UK

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Natural gas is the most important and popular fossil fuel in the current era and future as well. However,
Received 5 January 2013 because the natural gas is existed in deep underground reservoirs so it may contain several non-
Accepted 17 June 2013 hydrocarbon components for example, hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide. These impurities are
Available online 11 July 2013
undesirable compounds and cause several technical problems for example, corrosion and environment
pollution. Recently, the Iraqi Kurdistan region has achieved huge development in many fields for
Keywords:
example, education, economic and oil and gas industry. In fact, Khurmala dome is located in southwest
Natural gas sweetening
Erbil- Kurdistan region. The Kurdistan region government has paid great attention for this dome to
Khurmala dome
Amine solution
provide the fuel for Kurdistan region. However, the Khurmala associated natural gas is currently flaring at
Process simulation the field. Moreover, nowadays there is a plan to recover and trade this gas and to use it either as
Aspen Hysys feedstock to power station or to sell it in global market. However, the laboratory analysis has showed that
Process optimisation the Khurmala natural gas has huge quantities of H2S about (5.3%) and CO2 about (4.4%). Therefore, this
study aims to simulate the prospective Khurmala gas sweetening process by using the latest version of
Aspen HYSYS V.7.3 program. Moreover, the simulation work is adopted amine gas sweetening process by
using DEA solution and it achieved high acid gases removal for instance, H2S concentration in sweet gas
stream was about 4 ppm at (400 m3/h) amine circulation rate. In addition, the simulation work is also
achieved process optimization by using several amine types and blends for example, MEA and MDEA. It
also examined some of the critical amine process factors for each amine type for example, amine cir-
culation rate and amine concentration. Moreover, the optimization work found that the use of (DEA 35%
w/w) may consider the most recommended process.
Ó 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
The demand of natural gas in recent decade has been dramatic.
In fact, natural gas poses a huge rule in the recent world economy
and development. However, natural gas usually contains several
impurities for instance, acid gases that it need to be removed from
natural gas to meet the gas pipelines specifications. Stewart and
Arnold (2011) noted that gas contracts regulation restrict H2S
content about 4 ppm and CO2 about 2% in natural gas stream.
Indeed, Khurmala dome is the northern most dome of the Kirkuk
oil fields structure. Moreover, the Dome is located approximately
Some nomenclature: RMM, Relative molecular weight; H2S, Hydrogen sulfide;
CO2, Carbon dioxide; DEA, Dimethylamine; MEA, Monomethylamine; MDEA,
Methyldiethanolamine.
* Corresponding author. Tel.: þ964 7507804123.
E-mail addresses: ribwar.Abdulrahman@koyauniversity.org, ribwar.kermanj@
koyauniversity.org (R.K. Abdulrahman), i.m.sebastine@tees.ac.uk (I.M. Sebastine).
20 km by 8 km. However, the dome has not developed until 2003.
Nowadays Khurmala field is consideredas main fuel source for Iraqi
Kurdistan region KAR (KAR Group, 2012). In fact, Khurmala asso-
ciated natural gas is currently flared at the field. There is a plan to
recover and traded this gas to use it either as feedstock to power
station or to sell it in global market. However, the laboratory
analysis has showed that the Khurmala natural gas has huge
quantities of H2S about (5.3%) and CO2 about (4.4%). In fact, there
are several processes to remove acid gases from raw natural gas for
instance, solid bed process and chemical solvent process. However,
amine gas sweetening process may consider the most popular
process in gas industry field. Therefore, this study will adopt amine
gas process to remove acid gases from Khurmala natural gas.
2. Basic amine process description
Amine process is considered as the most successful and com-
mon process in gas industry field. Indeed, this process is utilized

1875-5100/$ e see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2013.06.005
 R.K. Abdulrahman, I.M. Sebastine / Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 14 (2013) 116e120 117

Table 2
Khurmala natural gas compositions and quantities (wet basis).

Component Mole% RMM kmole/h kg/h Mole%

H2S 5.38 34.076 288.03426 9815.056 5.372849

CO2 4.48 44.01 239.85009 10555.8 4.474045
N2 0.11 28.02 5.8891764 165.0147 0.109854
CH4 63.35 16.02 3391.6302 54333.92 63.26579
C2H6 13.9 30.07 744.17775 22377.42 13.88152
C3H8 6.03 44.09 322.83394 14233.75 6.021985
i-C4H10 1.36 58.123 72.811636 4232.031 1.358192
n-C4H10 2.44 58.123 130.63264 7592.761 2.436757
i-C5H12 1.03 72.15 55.144106 3978.647 1.028631
n-C5H14 0.73 72.15 39.082716 2819.818 0.72903
C6H14 1.19 86.177 63.710181 5490.352 1.188418
H2O e 18 7.1258541 128.2654 0.132922
Total 100 5360.9226 135722.8 100
Fig. 1. General flow diagram for Amine plant.

alkanamine solution as a chemical solvent to remove acid gases

from natural gas stream. Moreover, alkanamine possess high af-
finity towards acid gases and there are several types of amines that
are used in amine process for example, monoethanolamine (MEA)
and dimethylamine (DEA). Amine process is consisting of several
operation units for instance, contactor tower, regenerator tower
and heat exchanger. Fig. 1 shows typical amine process.
The chemical reaction of amines with H2S and CO2 are given
below:
2RNH2 þ H2S ¼ (RNH3)2S
2RNH2 þ CO2 ¼ RNHCOONH3R *R ¼ mono, di, tri-Ethanol.
3. Khurmala gas composition and water content calculations
The Khurmala gas stream composition and operating conditions
are show in Table 1. However, it seems from gas composition that it
analysed on dry basis. Thus, it quite important to calculate gas
water content before process design or simulation.
Natural gas water content can be estimated by adopting the
McKetta-Wehe Chart (Abdulrahman, 2012). Therefore, the raw
natural gas water content is about 1000 kg/
MMstd m3 ¼ 128.265 kg/h. Now, the new Natural gas composition
could calculate and summarized as shown in Table 2.
providing the program by gas stream compositions from Table 2
and choosing Amine fluid package as shown in Fig. 2.
It is quite important to uses inlet gas separator to remove any
undesirable impurities such as, solid particulates and liquids.
Amine contactor is also important part of sweetening plant and it
also need some specifications for example, streams temperature
and pressure, Fig. 3 shows amine contactor menu. Moreover, rich
amine needs to be regenerate and that could be achieved by
installing the amine regenerator after amine heat exchanger and
Fig. 4 shows amine regenerator menu.
The simulation process is done successfully and Fig. 5 shows
process flow diagram of Khurmala gas sweetening plant. In fact, the
installation of flash tank for rich amine is quite important in order
to avoid any technical problems that might cause by rich amine
impurities. Moreover, the ADJUST function is also important to
adjust the mass flow rate of lean amine with the H2S molar friction
in sweet gas stream. In addition, water make up stream should be
added with a mixer to the process. In fact, amine concentration may
be built up in the process because of water losses with sweet gas.
Therefore, water make up stream will maintain and support the
concentration of amine solution in the process. The simulation
process is done and the process achieved high acid gas removal
which will be discussed in result and discussion.
4.1. Process optimization

4. Steady state simulation and optimization The aim of this optimization work to study the effect of using
various types of amine and amine blends on the amine plant per-
The expected Khurmala amine gas sweetening plant is simu- formance. Therefore, optimization section will apply various
lated by using the latest version of Aspen HYSY V.7.3. The DEA is amines with various concentrations that can be achieved by
utilized as an aqueous absorbent to absorb acid gases from sour gas entering to simulation tools and changing sour gas stream com-
stream. The first step of simulation work could be done by positions (for instance, remove DEA component from the compo-
nents list and adding other amine type). Then changing the amine
Table 1
Khurmala raw natural gas compositions and operation conditions (Abdulrahman,
molar or weight fraction in lean amine menu. The following opti-
2012). mizations steps are assumed:
Laboratory name Core laborites Component Mole%
international B.V.
Experiment-1: Using 10% MEA for Khurmala gas sweetening
plant by maintaining same operation conditions for instance,
Location Abu Dhabi Branch H2S 5.38
sour gas stream pressure and temperature and lean amine
Field Khurmala-Erbil CO2 4.48
Sample no. 1 Cylinder (S-012) N2 0.11 temperature and pressure. Then the results should be recorded
Test data 14-03-2010 CH4 63.35 for H2S, CO2 and H2O in sweet gas stream which will be applied
Sample type Natural gas C2H6 13.9 in MS excel with other optimization results.
Flow rate 120.000 stdm3/h C3H8 6.03
Experiment-2: Investigating 25% DEA for same simulation pro-
Gas density 0.65 Kg/m3 i-C4H10 1.36
Gas SG (Air ¼ 1.0) 0.67 n-C4H10 2.44 gram and find out the acid gas composition and H20 content n
Pressure 7000 K pa i-C5H12 1.03 sweet gas stream.
Temperature  C 38 C n-C5H14 0.73 Experiment-3: Investigating 40% MDEA.
Max. ambient 38 C C6H14 1.19 Experiment-4: Investigating (40% MDEA and 10% MEA).
temperature  C
Experiment-5: Investigating using (30% MDEA and 10% DEA).
118 R.K. Abdulrahman, I.M. Sebastine / Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 14 (2013) 116e120

Fig. 2. Hysys fluid package menu.

Fig. 3. Amine contactor menu.

Fig. 4. Amine regenerator menu.

 R.K. Abdulrahman, I.M. Sebastine / Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 14 (2013) 116e120
Fig. 5. Process flow diagram of Khurmala gas sweetening plant.
5. Results and discussion
First, the study is used 35 %DEA amine solution to achieve the
sweetening process and it has achieved an acceptable sweetening
results.
It seems that from Fig. 6 by increasing the (35% DEA) circulation
rate will lead to increase the acid gas removal. Moreover, at amine
rate (350 m3/h) the H2S amount in sweet gas was about 5 ppm.
However, the optimum amine rate is about (400 m3/h) that gave
4 ppm H2S in sweet gas stream and it achieves the optimum liquid
residence time on tray. In contrast, it seems that the rich amine
stream temperature is decreased by increasing amine rate that may
be because the increasing the circulation rate will decrease the
Fig. 6. Effects of (35% DEA) circulation rate on acid gas mole friction in sweet gas
stream.
Fig. 7. The relationship between (35%DEA) rate and rich amine temperature.
119
amine residence time inside column (less reboiler effects) as shown
in Fig. 7. However, the economical side should be considered for
amine process because any increasing of amine rate lead to increase
process operation cost.
It seems that by increasing contactor plates the acid gas loading
is increased because the capacity of the contactor will increase.
Thus, the acid gas absorption. However, after pate number twenty
the loading stay constant. As a result, twenty trays are considered
Fig. 8. The effect of increasing the absorber plates on acid gas loading for (35%DEA)
case.
Fig. 9. The relationship between amine rate and H2S mole percentage in sweet gas
stream for various amine types and blends.
120 R.K. Abdulrahman, I.M. Sebastine / Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 14 (2013) 116e120
Fig. 10. The relationship between amine rate and CO2 mole percentage in sweet gas
stream for various amine types and blends.
Fig. 11. The relationship between water losses and amine rate.
ideal for the amine contactor as it is gave optimum acid gases
removal and Fig. 8 shows the effect of increasing the absorber
plates on acid gas loading for (35%DEA) case.
It seems from Fig. 9 that the removing of H2S from gas stream is
increased by increasing amine rate for all amine types. However,
increasing amine rate is increased the process operation cost. Thus,
it seems that using (40% MEDA with 10% DEA) gives optimum H2S
removing and lowest amine circulation rate. However, 40% MEDA
may consider high percentage and lead to amine process corrosion.
Thus, the plant corrosion should be consider in design work.
It seems that from Fig. 10, MDEA and its blends (MDEA with DEA
and MDEA with MEA) have high selectivity towards CO2 and this is
noted by many scientist and researchers. As Abdel-Aal and Aggour
(2003) noted that “Mixtures of amines are generally mixtures of
MDE A and DEA or MEA and are used to enhance CO2 removal by
MDEA”. Thus, MDEA blends can use in case enhanced oil recovery is
required for hydrocarbons reservoir.
It seems from Fig. 11 the water losses in sweet gas stream is
increasing by increasing amine rate for all amine types and amine
blends. However, 25% DEA may show the lowest water losses for
almost amine rate. In fact, water losses lead to various technical
problems for example, amine losses and low amine concentration
as well. Moreover, amine foaming may also be considered as the
main responsible about this phenomenon.
6. Conclusion
In conclusion, this work-study is achieved Khurmala gas
sweetening process design calculations and simulates the process
by using Aspen HYSYS. It can argue that Khurmala gas is contained
high amounts of acid gases. However, this problem can be solved by
installing appropriate gas sweetening plant. Moreover, simulation
work achieved high acid removal that make the gas meet gas
pipelines specifications for almost amine types and blend. It could
be argued that (35% DEA) with 400 m3/h circulation rate achieved
optimum gas removal and the outlet natural gas stream is met the
gas pipeline specification. Moreover, twenty trays for amine con-
tactor tower are achieved high acid gas loading. Furthermore,
amine process is also optimized by applying several amine types
and blends. Moreover, several process parameters are examined for
instance, water losses, acid gas removal and rich amine tempera-
ture. It can argue that using (35% DEA) is the most recommended
for process. However, amine blends are also gave good results and it
could be considered for bulk CO2 removal. Finally, there are also
other selection criteria that contributing in amine type selection for
example, economic consideration and amine availably.
References
Abdel-Aal, K., Aggour, M., 2003. Petroleum and Gas Field Processing. CRC Press, New
York.
Abdulrahman, R., 2012. Email to Hadi Najem, 13 June.
KAR Group, 2012. Khurmala Dome. Available at: http://www.kargroup.net/
oilfieldprojects.html (accessed 16.06.12.).
Stewart, M., Arnold, K., 2011. Gas Sweetening and Processing Field Manual. Gulf
Professional Publishing, Waltham.