SECTION 20 Dehydration ‘Natural gas and associated condensate are often produced from the reservoir saturated (in equilibrium) with water. In addition, the gas and condensate often contain CO, and H,S. Which might require removal. This is frequently accomplished with aqueous solutions such as amines, potassium carbonate, ste. which saturate the gas or condensate with water. Liquid hydrocarbons may also contain water downstream of product, treaters or upon removal from underground storage, Dehydration isthe procoss used to remove water from natu- ral gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs), and is required to: + prevent formation of hydrates and condensation of free water in processing and transportation facilitic + moot a water content specification, and + prevent corrosion FIG, 20-4 Nomenclature area, £2 = constant in Equation 20-11 constant in Equation 20-11 hheat capacity, Btu/(b « “F) gravity correction factor for water content salinity eorreetion factor for water content. saturation correction factor for sieve temperature correction factor diameter, depression of the water dewpoint or the gas hy- ddrate freezing point, "F Equation of State sass velocity, b Af hx) enthalpy, BTUAb latent heat of vaporization, Btu/lb vapor/sold equilibrium K-value length of packed bed, fe slyeol flow rate, US. gal fhe Jength of packed bed mass transfer zone, length of packed bed saturation zone, f mass flow rate Ivhr mass transfer zone molecular weight molecular weight of inhibitoro number of theoretical stages pressure, psia pressure drop, psi actual ga8 flow rate, nin heat duty, Btwhr reflux condensing heat duty, Beugal regeneration heat loss duty, Btu total rogeneration heat duty, Beu/gal sensible heat, Btu/gal. duty required to heat mole sieve to regeneration temperature, Bia Qc, = duty required to heat vessel and piping to regen- eration temperature, Btu sizing parameter for packed towers, VIDT( + 500) Qu = total regeneration heat duty, Btu Q. = vaporization of water heat duty, Bru/gal. desorption of water heat duty, Btu. amount molecular sieve req in saturation zone, Ib thickness of the vessel wall, in. temperature, F regeneration temperature, “F ‘vapor velocity, Asee superficial vapor velocity, fe’min water rate, bar ‘water content of gas, Ib’MMscf water content of gas, bbl/MMSOF water removed per eyele, Ib ‘mole fraction in the liquid phase mass fraction in the liquid phase ‘mole fraction in the gaa phase compressibility factor = specific gravity = viscosity, ep = density, bia” ‘carbon dioxide hydrogen sulfide hydrocarbon solid phase joan inhibitor rich inhibitor hydrate regeneration feed permeate 204‘Techniques for dehydrating natural gas, associated gas con- denzate and NGLs include: Absorption using liquid desiccants, Adsorption using solid desiccants, Dehydration with CaCl, Dehydration by refrigeration, Dehydration by membrane permeation, Dehydration by gas stripping, and Dehydration by distillation WATER CONTENT OF GASES AND LIQUIDS Water Solubility in Liquid Hydrocarbons Fig. 20-2 shows the solubilities of water in sweet liquid hy- dzocarbons, Itis based on experimental data developed in GPA, RR 169.4 Ta sour hydrocarbon liquids, water solubility can be substantially higher, GPA RR-62! provides water solubility data for selected hy- drocarbons in both sweet and sour systems, Equations-of- State (EOS) may be used to estimate water solubilities in hydrocarbon systems. GPA RR-42* provides a comparison of experimental versus calculated values using a modified So- ave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) BOS. Results from EOS methods should be used with eaution and verified with experimental data when possible. Fig. 20-8 gives. hydrocarbon solubilities in water, which in ‘general are considerably leas than water in hydrocarbons. This figure is based on experimental data developed in GPA RR 169." Some experimental data is available in GPA RR-62. Yavie,et. a." pravide a general correlation which may be used to estimate the solubility of over 200 hydrocarbons in water. Water Content of Natural Gases ‘The saturated water content of a gas depends on pressure, temperature, and composition. The effect of composition in- ‘xeases with preasure and is particularly important ifthe gas contains CO; and/or IipS. For lean, sweet natural gases con- taining over 10% methane and smail amounts of heavy hydro- carbons, generalized pressure-temperature correlations are suitable for many applications Fig. 20-:*ia an example of one such correlation which has been widely used for many years in the design of “sweet” natural gas dehydrators. It waa first published in 1958 and was based on experimental data avail- able at that time, The gas gravity correlation should never be used to account for the presence of H,8 and CO, and may not always he adequate for certain hydrocarbon effects, expecially for the prediction of water content at pressures above 1500 peia. The hydrate formation line is approximate and should not be used to prediet hydrate formation conditions Fig. 20.5 extends Fig. 20-4 from 300 to 400°F. This is based ‘on data in the high-temperature region published by Olds et, ‘The following examples are provided to illustrate the use of igs. 20-4 and 20-5: Example 20-1 — Determine the saturated water content for a sweet lean hydrocarbon gas at 150°F and 1,000 psia, From Fig. 20-4 or Fig. 20-5 w 220 IbiMMset For a 26 molecular weight gas, 202 Cy = 0.98 Fig. 20-4) W = (0.98).220) = 216 Ib/MMset For a gaa in equilibrium with a 3% brine, c. = 093 (Fig 20-4) W = (0.99)220) = 205 Ih/MMset Water Content of High CO/H2S Gases Both H:S and CO, contain more water at saturation than methane or sweet natural gas mixtures. The relative amounts vary considerably with temperature and pressure, Fig. 20-6 and 20-7" display saturated water content of pure CO) and HLS, respectively, at various teraperatures and preasures. Fig 20-8 shows the saturated water contents of pure CH, COs and lected mixtures vs. presture at 100°F. Fig. 20-9" exhibits the saturated water content of pure CII,, CO, and a 95% CO,— 5% (CH, mixture vs, pressure at 100°F, Several significant obser- vations can be made from these figures and other available data 1. Saturated water content of pure CO; and H,S ean be sig nificantly higher than that of sweet natural gas, particu lacly at pressures above about 700 psia at ambient tem peratures, Corrections for 1yS and CO, should be applied when the {gas mixture contains more than 5% HS and/or CO; at pressures above 700 psia. These corrections become in- creasingly significant at higher concentrations and higher pressures, ‘The addition of small amounts of CH, or Nz to CO; or HS can dramatically reduce the saturated water content compared to the pure acid gas. Acid gas water content is a very complex subject. The data and methods presented here should not be used for final de- sign, Fig, 20-6, 20-7, 20-8 and 20-0 are all based on experimen- tal data. A cursory study of these figures reveals the complexities involved. An accurate determination of water content requires a careful study of the existing literature and available experimental data, In most cages additional experi mental data ia the beat way to verify predicted values. Even the most sophisticated EOS techniques may give results of questionable reliability. Below 40% acid gas components, one method of estimating the water content uses Eq 20-1 and Fig. 20-4, 20-10, and 20- nm w Eq 20-1 Note that Fig. 20-10 and 20-11 provide values for what is termed the “effective” water content of CO, and H,S in natural as mixtures for use only in Eq 20-1. These are not pure CO; and H,S water contents, ‘Another method for estimation of the saturated water con- tont of acid gas mixtures up to 10,000 psia uses Fig. 20-12, 20-18, and 20-14.8 With gases containing CO,, the CO; must be converted to an “equivalent” H,S concentration, For pur- poses ofthis method, itis assumed the CO, will contribute 75% as much water to the gas mixture, on a molar basis, as H,S. Water contents for prossures in between the values in the Sgures (for example at pressure Pyy belween pressures Pia, and Pigs) can be determined by plotting on log-log paper or by logarithmic interpolation using the following equation: og (Wy) = log Wis) + Clog Wua/ Waa)» (log (Pra/Pox) / log’ Pane/Praa) ro Wc + Yoo, Woo, + YusWa,s Eq 20.2A third method is Fig. 20-15." The CO, is converted to equivalent HS as for the second method, but the factor is "70% instead of 75% Example 20-2— Determine the saturated water content of an 80% C, 20% CO mixture at 160 °F and 2000 psia, The exper: mentally determined water content was 172 Ib/MMsef, W = (0.80)(167) + (0.20):240) 1821bMMset Method Two First the composition must be converted for use with Fig, 2. Method One yu (pseudo) = (0-75K¥00) = (0:75)020) = 0.18 Wie = 167 ToMMset ig. 20-4) W = 0.49 Bo1IMect ig. 20-12) Woo, = 240 IbiMMset ig. 20-11) Density of water = 350 bbb (049)(350) = 172 1bMMset FIG. 202 Solubility of Water in Liquld Hydrocarbons 1 2 Bo at g 2 3 a 8 2 : goo = 0.001 40 6 @ 100 120 140 160 180 200 Temperature, °F 203