Natural Gas Specifications

A brief overview of the requirements and standards for natural gas

distribution

Pipeline Integrity
 Pipeline integrity refers to the ability of the gas pipeline system to operate safely and
reliably without causing damage to the environment or the public.
 One of the main factors affecting pipeline integrity is the gas composition, which should
not contain any substances that can corrode, stress, or abrade the pipeline material.
 Another factor is the gas flow, which should be smooth and consistent under various
temperature and pressure conditions, and prevent the accumulation of liquids that can
reduce the pipeline capacity and interfere with the instruments.

Safety Aspects
 Safety aspects refer to the measures taken to ensure the safe use of natural gas by
domestic and industrial consumers, as well as the compliance with the statutory
requirements and regulations.
 One of the safety aspects is the hydrogen sulphide content, which should be kept below a
certain limit to avoid health hazards and environmental pollution.
 Another safety aspect is the odorization of natural gas, which should be done with a
distinctive odorant (such as mercaptan) to enable the detection of gas leaks and prevent
accidents.

Gas Quality
 Gas quality refers to the physical and chemical properties of natural gas that affect its
performance and suitability for different applications.
 One of the gas quality parameters is the hydrocarbon dew point, which is the temperature
at which hydrocarbon liquids start to form under a given pressure.
 The hydrocarbon dew point should be controlled to avoid retrograde condensation, which
is the formation of a two-phase gas and liquid mixture that can cause operational
problems and reduce the heating value of the gas.
 The hydrocarbon dew point is influenced by the presence of heavy hydrocarbons (such as
C6+ components), which have a lower vapor pressure and a higher tendency to condense.
 Gas processing techniques, such as chilling and fractionation, can be used to remove the
heavy hydrocarbons and maintain the gas quality within the specified limits.