NGL Recovery from Natural Gas Using a Mixed Refrigerant
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A process for recovering natural gas liquids (NGL) from a feed gas stream, said process comprising:
- (a) cooling and at least partially condensing said feed gas stream via indirect heat exchange with a mixed refrigerant stream to thereby provide a cooled feed gas stream;
(b) separating said cooled feed gas stream into a first residue gas stream enriched in methane and lighter components and a first liquid product stream enriched in C2 and heavier components in a first vapor-liquid separation vessel;
(c) separating said first liquid product stream into a second residue gas stream and a second liquid product stream in a second vapor-liquid separation vessel; and
(d) recovering at least a portion of said second liquid product stream obtained in step (c) as an NGL product stream.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An NGL recovery facility utilizing a single, closed-loop mixed refrigerant cycle for recovering a substantial portion of the C2 and heavier or C3 and heavier NGL components from the incoming gas stream. Less severe operating conditions, including a warmer refrigerant temperature and a lower feed gas pressure, contribute to a more economical and efficient NGL recovery system.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A process for recovering natural gas liquids (NGL) from a feed gas stream, said process comprising:
-
(a) cooling and at least partially condensing said feed gas stream via indirect heat exchange with a mixed refrigerant stream to thereby provide a cooled feed gas stream; (b) separating said cooled feed gas stream into a first residue gas stream enriched in methane and lighter components and a first liquid product stream enriched in C2 and heavier components in a first vapor-liquid separation vessel; (c) separating said first liquid product stream into a second residue gas stream and a second liquid product stream in a second vapor-liquid separation vessel; and (d) recovering at least a portion of said second liquid product stream obtained in step (c) as an NGL product stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14)
-
-
15. A process for recovering natural gas liquids (NGL) from a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas stream, said process comprising:
-
(a) compressing a mixed refrigerant stream with a refrigeration compressor to thereby provide a compressed mixed refrigerant stream having a pressure less than 550 psig; (b) cooling said compressed mixed refrigerant stream in a first heat exchanger to thereby provide a cooled mixed refrigerant stream; (c) passing said cooled mixed refrigerant stream through an expansion device to thereby provide an expanded refrigerant stream; (d) cooling said hydrocarbon-containing feed gas stream via indirect heat exchange with said expanded refrigerant stream to thereby provide a cooled feed gas stream; (e) separating said cooled feed gas stream into a first residue gas stream and a first liquid product stream; and (f) recovering an NGL product stream from at least a portion of said liquid product stream, wherein the temperatures of said compressed mixed refrigerant stream, said cooled mixed refrigerant stream, and said expanded refrigerant stream during each of steps (a) through (d) are sufficient to condense at least a portion of the C2 components or at least a portion of the C3 components originally present in said hydrocarbon-containing feed stream. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery facility for recovering ethane and heavier components from a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas stream using a single closed-loop mixed refrigeration cycle, said facility comprising:
-
a feed gas compressor defining a feed suction port and a feed discharge port, said feed gas compressor operable to compress said hydrocarbon-containing feed gas stream to pressure of not more than 600 psig; a primary heat exchanger defining a first cooling pass for cooling the compressed feed gas stream; a first vapor-liquid separation vessel defining a first fluid inlet, a first upper vapor outlet, and a first lower liquid outlet, wherein said first fluid inlet is coupled in fluid flow communication with said first cooling pass, wherein said first vapor-liquid separation vessel is operable to separate the cooled feed gas stream into a first residue gas stream withdrawn via said first upper vapor outlet and a first liquid stream withdrawn via first lower liquid outlet; a second vapor-liquid separation vessel defining a second fluid inlet, a second upper vapor outlet, and a second lower liquid outlet, wherein said second fluid inlet is coupled in fluid flow communication with said first lower liquid outlet of said first vapor-liquid separation vessel, wherein said second-vapor liquid separation vessel is operable to separate the first liquid stream withdrawn from said first vapor-liquid separation vessel into a second residue gas stream and an NGL product stream; and a single closed-loop mixed refrigeration cycle, said cycle comprising— a refrigerant compressor defining a suction inlet and a discharge outlet for compressing a stream of mixed refrigerant; a first refrigerant cooling pass in fluid flow communication with said discharge outlet of said refrigerant compressor, said first refrigerant cooling pass being disposed in said primary heat exchanger and operable to cool at least a portion of the compressed stream of mixed refrigerant; an expansion device defining a high pressure inlet and a low pressure outlet for expanding the cooled mixed refrigerant stream, wherein said high pressure inlet is coupled in fluid flow communication with said first refrigerant cooling pass; a first refrigerant warming pass in fluid flow communication with said low pressure outlet of said expansion device, said first refrigerant warming pass being disposed within said primary heat exchanger and operable to warm the expanded mixed refrigerant stream via indirect heat exchange with the compressed mixed refrigerant stream in said first refrigerant cooling pass and/or the compressed feed gas stream in said first cooling pass, wherein said first refrigerant warming pass is in fluid flow communication with said suction inlet of said refrigerant compressor. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
-
Specification