Gas Gathering

GAS GATHERING

Gas Gathering 

 

PROCESS DESCRIPTION

Gas from production fields is collected in a main pipeline. Gas from several different production fields may be transported to a gathering facility. Here the gas is treated through the use of filtration, separation, and solvent extraction to remove contaminants prior to sending the gas to processing plants down the line.

 

PROCESS PROBLEMS

• Dirty inlet gas can lead to excessive filter usage
• Dirty inlet gas can quickly deplete solvent extraction capability leading to excessive use of solvent make-up
• Poor solvent performance results in off-spec gas
• Dirty solvent leads to lower contactor rates
• Solvent contamination can cause loss of heat exchange by plating out and or plugging the heat exchanger leading to excessive re-boiler costs

 

PECO SOLUTIONS

Dirty inlet gas can lead to a multitude of problems in a gathering facility. Everything from excessive inlet filter/separator element usage to poor a mine system economics can be traced back to poor quality inlet gas. PECO recommends a Series 95 scrubber followed by a PEACH Gemini PuraSep Filter/Coalescer for optimum performance in cleaning up plant inlet gas. The Series 95 removes liquid slugs that would over whelm the Gemini. The PEACH Gemini PuraSep removes liquid and solid contaminants down to 0.3 micron. By maintaining clean gas flow to the solvent contactor, corrosion and plugging can be avoided.

Many people do not associate the back end plant performance with the front end filtration/separation application. However, if dirty inlet gas has corroded or plugged contactor trays, the effects will be felt in the solvent treatment system. Corrosion by-products windup in the solvent system and have to be removed. This can cause excessive carbon usage, excessive filter cartridge usage, poor stripper regenerator efficiency, excessive stripper carry over, and high re-boiler use. If solvent is not regenerate deffectively, the gas-liquid interface is adversely affected causing off ­spec gas to leave the plant. So, in order to help the back-end performance of the gas plant, take care to address the front end inlet

Once the front end has been addressed, attention can be focused on the back end solvent system. To keep this system operating at peak performance PECO recommends utilization of two products. By installing a PECO Series 10 filter with 1122 CAC carbon canisters ahead of a PECO Series 58 with high performance PEACH 347 elements, a system can be maintained to optimal operating standards. The 1122 CAC carbon canisters remove acid by-products often found in solvent. The PEACH 347 depth style elements will remove dirt and other contaminants to prevent them from reaching the stripper-regenerator. Acid sand particulate contamination will corrode and plug the stripper resulting in inefficient regeneration of the solvent. As a precautionary practice, this same carbon and particulate filter installation down stream of the stripper will catch any contamination that drops out after the heat exchanger and prior to the lean amine cooler.