Summary of Natural Gas Characteristics

Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons and other gases that can be used as a fuel or a feedstock
for various industries. The characteristics of natural gas depend on its composition, temperature,
pressure, and quality criteria. This summary will highlight some of the key aspects of natural gas
characteristics and their implications for gas processing and transportation.

Temperature and Pressure Consideration

The temperature and pressure of natural gas affect its phase behavior, density, viscosity, and
compressibility. As the temperature increases, the gas expands and becomes less dense and more
viscous. As the pressure decreases, the gas contracts and becomes more dense and less viscous.
However, in some cases, the pressure reduction can cause retrograde condensation, which is the
formation of liquid hydrocarbons from gas. This phenomenon can reduce the heating value and
the flow rate of the gas, and can also cause corrosion and blockage in the pipelines.

Hydrate Formation
Hydrates are solid compounds that form when water molecules enclose gas molecules in a
crystalline structure. Hydrates can form when natural gas contains higher hydrocarbons, such as
ethane, propane, and butane, and when the temperature and pressure conditions are favorable.
Hydrate formation can pose a serious problem for gas processing and transportation, as it can
block valves and pipes, reduce the gas quality and quantity, and create safety hazards. Hydrate
formation can be prevented or inhibited by adding chemicals, such as methanol or glycol, that
lower the hydrate formation temperature, or by heating or dehydrating the gas.

Odorosity Control
Natural gas is odorless, colorless, and flammable, which makes it difficult to detect and
potentially dangerous in case of leaks or accidents. Therefore, it is important to add odorants to
natural gas before it is distributed to consumers, especially at low pressures below 7 bar.
Odorants are substances that have a strong and distinctive smell, such as mercaptans or
thiophenes, that can alert people of the presence of natural gas. However, not all odorants are
effective for all gas types, as some odorants can react with the gas components or be adsorbed by
the pipeline materials. Therefore, the choice of odorants should consider the gas composition, the
pipeline characteristics, and the regulatory requirements.
Quality Criteria for Utilization
The quality of natural gas refers to its suitability for a specific use or market, such as power
generation, industrial applications, or domestic consumption. The quality criteria for natural gas
vary depending on the gas composition, the regulations, and the industry standards. Some of the
common quality criteria for natural gas are the heating value, the sulfur content, the carbon
dioxide content, the water content, the oxygen content, the nitrogen content, and the hydrogen
sulfide content. For example, the UK has raised the limit for hydrogen sulfide from 5 ppm to 7
ppm, as a way to accommodate the increasing supply of sour gas from the North Sea.

Component Analysis
Component analysis is the process of determining the composition and the properties of natural
gas, such as the mole fractions, the molecular weights, the densities, and the calorific values of
the gas components. Component analysis is important for pricing and quality control of natural
gas, as it affects the gas value and the gas performance. Component analysis can be done by
various methods, such as gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, or infrared spectroscopy.
Some of the components that are usually analyzed are methane, ethane, propane, butane,
pentane, hexane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, and total sulfur.

Compression Gas Characteristics

Compression is the process of increasing the pressure and reducing the volume of natural gas, by
using mechanical devices called compressors. Compression is necessary for natural gas
transportation, storage, or liquefaction, as it allows the gas to flow through long distances, to be
injected into underground reservoirs, or to be converted into liquid form. Compression affects
the gas characteristics, such as the temperature, the density, the viscosity, and the
compressibility. Compression also requires consideration of the gas contaminants, the water
content, the performance factors, and the design factors.

Compression Necessity
The necessity of compression depends on the pressure difference between the gas source and the
gas destination, the gas flow rate, the gas pipeline diameter, and the gas pipeline length. The
pressure difference determines the driving force for the gas flow, the gas flow rate determines the
gas quantity, the gas pipeline diameter determines the gas capacity, and the gas pipeline length
determines the gas friction. As the gas flows through the pipeline, it loses pressure due to
friction, elevation changes, and fittings. Therefore, compression is necessary to maintain or
increase the gas pressure along the pipeline, to overcome the pressure losses and to meet the
pressure requirements at the destination.
Contaminant Consideration
Contaminants are substances that are present in natural gas, but are not desired or beneficial for
the gas use or processing. Contaminants can be solid, liquid, or gaseous, and can have negative
impacts on the gas quality, the gas equipment, and the environment. Contaminants can cause
corrosion, erosion, fouling, plugging, or damage to the gas compressors, pipelines, valves,
meters, or other devices. Therefore, contaminant consideration is essential for the gas
compression, as it affects the gas performance, the gas safety, and the gas cost.

Contaminant Type
The type of contaminants in natural gas depends on the gas source, the gas composition, the gas
treatment, and the gas transportation. Some of the common types of contaminants in natural gas
are dust, water, and higher hydrocarbons. Dust can be sand, clay, or other solid particles that are
carried by the gas from the reservoir or the well. Water can be liquid or vapor that is present in
the gas due to the reservoir conditions, the gas condensation, or the gas cooling. Higher
hydrocarbons can be ethane, propane, butane, or other heavier molecules that are part of the gas
mixture, but can condense or solidify under certain temperature and pressure conditions.

Water Content Impact

The water content in natural gas can have significant impacts on the gas compression, as it can
affect the gas phase behavior, the gas hydrate formation, the gas corrosion, and the gas heating
value. The water content can change the gas phase behavior, as it can lower the dew point and
the critical point of the gas, and cause retrograde condensation or hydrate formation. The water
content can also increase the gas hydrate formation, as it can provide the water molecules that
are needed for the hydrate structure. The water content can also enhance the gas corrosion, as it
can react with the gas components, such as carbon dioxide or hydrogen sulfide, and form acidic
compounds that can corrode the metal surfaces. The water content can also reduce the gas
heating value, as it can dilute the gas mixture and lower the calorific value.

Performance Factors
The performance factors of natural gas compression are the parameters that affect the gas
compression efficiency, the gas compression power, and the gas compression ratio. Some of the
performance factors of natural gas compression are the gas relative density, the gas
compressibility, the gas viscosity, and the gas temperature. The gas relative density is the ratio of
the gas density to the air density, and it affects the gas compression power, as a higher relative
density requires more power to compress the gas. The gas compressibility is the measure of the
change in gas volume due to the change in gas pressure, and it affects the gas compression ratio,
as a higher compressibility allows a higher compression ratio. The gas viscosity is the measure of
the gas resistance to flow, and it affects the gas compression efficiency, as a higher viscosity
reduces the efficiency. The gas temperature is the measure of the gas thermal energy, and it
affects the gas compression power, as a higher temperature requires more power to compress the
gas.

Design Consideration
The design consideration of natural gas compression is the process of selecting and sizing the gas
compressor and the gas compression system, based on the gas characteristics, the gas
requirements, and the gas constraints. The design consideration of natural gas compression
involves the following steps: 1) defining the gas inlet and outlet conditions, such as the pressure,
the temperature, the flow rate, and the composition; 2) choosing the gas compressor type, such as
reciprocating, centrifugal, or rotary; 3) determining the gas compressor configuration, such as
single-stage, multi-stage, or parallel; 4) calculating the gas compressor performance, such as the
efficiency, the power, and the ratio; 5) selecting the gas compressor driver, such as electric
motor, gas turbine, or diesel engine; 6) designing the gas compression system, such as the piping,
the valves, the coolers, the separators, and the controls.