EG Refrigeration For NGL (Condensate) Recovery

EG Refrigeration/NGL Recovery
EG Refrigeration for NGL (Condensate)

Recovery
Presented September 2001
by: Michelle Knettig, Technical Service Engineer
EG Injection Plants
• Used when there is >10 bbls of condensate
(C5+) per MMSCF of gas produced
• effective means of recovering condensate
• better than methanol due to the regeneration
capability of Ethylene Glycol (EG)
• EG is economical
Why Ethylene Glycol?

• EG acts as an excellent freeze point
depressant
• DEG and TEG are hygroscopic in nature
• EG is a hydrate suppressant
• EG is easily regenerated at a lower
temperature than the other glycols
The Process
• Recovery of condensate is done through
temperature reduction
• The EG absorbs the condensed water and
liquid hydrocarbons and prevents hydrate
formation
• The EG forms an “anti-freeze” like mixture
with the condensed liquids
The Process - Inlet Separation

• Good inlet separation reduces the liquid
volume entering the system and prevents
contamination of the Ethylene Glycol
• Increased liquid water levels can cause freeze
ups in the exchangers and chiller
• Increased liquid volumes can also reduce the
retention time in the Low Temperature
Separator
The Process - Gas/Gas Exchanger

• Usually a two pass shell and tube type exchanger
• Rich - wet gas on the tube side, Dry - Lean gas on
the shell side
• Generally 1/2 to 2/3 of the condensed water comes
from the two passes of the exchanger
• EG needs to be injected at the inlet to each pass
only if the temperature is below hydrate
temperature
The Process - Chiller

• Chiller is where the majority of the
condensate is recovered
• Two types:
– Choke Valve or Joule Thompson valve where
chilling is created by a pressure reduction and
gas expansion
– Mechanical chilling whereby a refrigerant such
as propane is used
The Process - Chiller cont’d

• Joule Thompson Valve (J-T valve) used
when inlet gas is at high pressure (>700 psi)
• Refrigerant is used when inlet gas is at
lower pressure
• Maximize on condensate recovery by
having a lower chiller temperature
Low Temperature Separator (LTS)

• Heart of the Liquids Recovery Plant
• Three phase separator
• Horizontal more effective than vertical due
to better retention times in horizontal ones
• Require 30 - 45 minutes retention time to
properly separate EG from condensate
• Source of majority of the process problems
The Process - Reboiler and Still

• Still tower is either packed or trayed and
separation of absorbed water from the EG
occurs
• Reboiler must provide adequate heat to
maintain proper lean EG strength
• Excess heat can cause EG pumping problems
• Inefficient heat can cause hydrate problems
The Process - EG Pump

• Used to circulate EG at system pressure
• Must have proper sized pump so that over
circulation does not occur !!!!!
Areas of Concern
• Nozzle Sizing, placement, and location
• System Temperatures & Glycol Strength
• System Freeze ups
• EG losses
• Emulsions/Foaming
• pH Control
• Filtration
• Proper Glycol Injection/Circulation Rates
Spray Nozzle Locations

• EG must be injected prior to any point in
the system where the operating temperature
drops below the hydrate temperature of the
gas
• Gas/Gas Exchanger
• Choke (J-T Valve)
• Chiller
Types of Spray Nozzles

• Hollow Cone and Full Cone are most
common
• Field experience has shown that hollow cone
nozzles are less prone to coalescing glycol
into larger droplets than the full cone
nozzles….so hollow cone nozzles are better
• Nozzle must create an aerosol mist of the EG
Nozzles continued
• A minimum 100 psi pressure drop across
the nozzle is required to ensure a fine mist
of glycol is formed
• Nozzles must have a wide flow allowance
capacity
Spray Nozzle Placement

• Must provide coverage across the whole tube
sheet….especially the upper and outer tubes
• More than one nozzle may be required for
large diameter tube sheets
• Nozzles should be spraying with the
direction of the gas flow to minimize glycol
scattering on tube walls
Nozzle Placement cont’d

• Ideally the nozzle should be located 2/3 of the
way up the tube sheet at an angle that
maximizes tube sheet coverage (angle and
distance from tube sheet can be calculated)
• Bottom tubes will always be covered due to
gravity
• Strainers should be installed prior to nozzles
to ensure no particulate can plug up the nozzle
Nozzle Placement continued

System Temperatures
• Temperature recorders are recommended
between each stage of heat exchange
• Reboiler temperature should be between 245
and 250oF (118 - 121oC) to ensure lean
strength of 75 - 80 wt%
• This allows for 15 -20 wt% water pick up and
EG remaining in non-crystallization zone
EG Strengths
• Lean should be between 75 and 80 wt%
• Rich should have anywhere from 8 - 15 wt
% more water than the lean solution
• Higher strength lean samples can cool and
become viscous…difficult to pump
• Poorly regenerated lean EG can cause
hydrates in the heat exchange equipment
System Freeze Ups

• Generally caused by poor spray coverage of the
EG into the exchangers and chiller
• Usually occurs in the upper and outer tube sheets
• May be a function of viscous glycol (high
strength)
• Poor aerosol mist and spray pattern due to
inadequate pressure drop across nozzles
• Solid particles plugging nozzles
Glycol Losses
• Three places only
– With the sales gas
– With the condensate
– Out the Still
Glycol Losses
• With the Sales Gas
– Foaming in the LTS
– A damaged mist pad in the LTS
– A leak in the gas/gas exchanger (dewpoint of
gas will be higher out of the gas/gas exchanger
than the LTS)
Glycol Losses
• With The Condensate
– Foaming or emulsions within the LTS
– Phase inversion by aeration or retrograde
condensate
– Damaged weir in the LTS
– Condensate can also be lost with the EG as a
result of all of the above
Glycol Losses
• Out of the reboiler still column
– condensate flashing caused by condensate carry
over into the EG (at the LTS)
– damaged or plugged packing
– Contaminant in the glycol
Emulsions/Foaming
• Usually caused by inlet impurities such as field
chemicals
• Good inlet separation should prevent impurities from
entering the plant
• Emulsions can also form from high lean EG strengths
(>85 wt%)
• Water acts as a good interface between the EG and
the condensate
• Use HD66 at 1ml/bbl condensate produced
System Filtration
• Rich side to prevent contamination of the
regeneration section, specifically the
reboiler
• Lean side to protect the nozzles
• Particulate filtration is all that is required
• Carbon filters ineffective against
condensate
pH Control
• pH of lean should always be between 8 and
10
• Rich may be lower due to acidic
components in the inlet gas (eg. hydrogen
sulfide)
• maintain with CFT 1755-CW
Proper Glycol Injection Rates

• Key to ensuring a smooth operating process
• Over injection reduces EG contact time
with condensed water…may result in high
sales gas water dew point
• Over circulation also reduces retention time
in the LTS…may result in high EG loss into
the condensate and vice versa
Proper Glycol Injection Rates

• Under circulation can result in hydrate
formation in gas/gas exchanger and chiller
• Let’s do the calculation……..

EG Refrigeration For NGL (Condensate) Recovery

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EG Refrigeration For NGL (Condensate) Recovery

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EG Refrigeration/NGL Recovery

EG Refrigeration for NGL (Condensate)

Why Ethylene Glycol?

The Process - Inlet Separation

The Process - Gas/Gas Exchanger

The Process - Chiller

The Process - Chiller cont’d

Low Temperature Separator (LTS)

The Process - Reboiler and Still

The Process - EG Pump

Spray Nozzle Locations

Types of Spray Nozzles

Spray Nozzle Placement

Nozzle Placement cont’d

Nozzle Placement continued

System Freeze Ups

Proper Glycol Injection Rates

Proper Glycol Injection Rates

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