A Short Knowledge Session on the Importance of Trace Components in the Development of Natural Gas Processing schemes
Presented at 2017 Spring Conference held at Hilton Garden Inn, Milan North on 17 - 19 May 2017 by Tom Cnop & Bart Bueckels, Honeywell UOPThe development of a natural gas processing facility involves the careful selection of a series of separation and treating technologies. It is not uncommon that feed gases are poorly specified either due to unknown well head compositions or due to the inaccuracy in analytical measurements. The
presence of a component that was not accounted for during design can impact the process performance of the unit and may require changes to the process design or the selection of a different technology all together. It is hence important that the process engineer understands the impact of components that are often not identified in the early phases of the project. Equally important is that the process engineer recognizes an unrealistic design basis. Trace components that need careful consideration are mercury, metals, sulphur compounds including COS and mercaptans, heavy hydrocarbons, methanol, oxygen, helium as well as the possible presence of solids and liquids.
