METHODS AND CONFIGURATION OF AN NGL RECOVERY PROCESS FOR LOW PRESSURE RICH FEED GAS
First Claim
1. A method for operating a natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery system, the method comprising:
- separating a propane and heavier hydrocarbon stream from a feed stream comprising methane, ethane, and propane to yield an ethane-containing residue gas stream, wherein separating the propane and heavier hydrocarbons from the feed stream comprises;
cooling the feed stream to yield a chilled feed stream;
introducing the chilled feed stream into a feed stream separation unit to yield a feed stream separator bottom stream and a feed stream separator overhead stream;
pumping the feed stream separator bottom stream to yield a pressurized feed stream separator bottom stream;
introducing the pressurized feed stream separator bottom stream into a stripper column;
reducing the pressure of the feed stream separator overhead stream to yield a letdown feed stream separator overhead stream;
introducing the letdown feed stream separator overhead stream into an absorber column;
collecting a stripper column overhead stream from the stripper column;
chilling the stripper column overhead stream to yield a chilled stripper column overhead stream;
reducing the pressure of the chilled stripper column overhead stream to yield a letdown stripper column overhead stream;
introducing the letdown stripper column overhead stream into the absorber column;
collecting an absorber bottom stream from the absorber column;
compressing the absorber bottom stream to yield a compressed absorber bottom stream;
heating the absorber bottom stream to yield a heated absorber bottom stream;
introducing the heated absorber bottom stream into the stripper column; and
collecting a stripper column bottom stream from the stripper column, wherein the stripper column bottom stream forms the propane and heavier hydrocarbon stream and wherein the propane and heavier hydrocarbon stream comprises propane and heavier hydrocarbons and less than about 2.0% of ethane by volume.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Separating propane and heavier hydrocarbons from a feed stream by cooling the feed stream, introducing the chilled feed stream into a feed stream separation unit, pumping the separator bottom stream, introducing the pressurized separator bottom stream into a stripper column, reducing the pressure of the separator overhead stream, introducing the letdown separator overhead stream into an absorber column, collecting a stripper overhead stream from the stripper column, chilling the stripper overhead stream, reducing the pressure of the chilled stripper overhead stream, introducing the letdown stripper overhead stream into the absorber column, collecting an absorber bottom stream, pumping the absorber bottom stream, heating the absorber bottom stream, introducing the heated absorber bottom stream into the stripper column, and collecting the stripper bottom stream from the stripper column. The stripper column bottom stream includes the propane and heavier hydrocarbons and less than about 2.0% of ethane by volume.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for operating a natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery system, the method comprising:
separating a propane and heavier hydrocarbon stream from a feed stream comprising methane, ethane, and propane to yield an ethane-containing residue gas stream, wherein separating the propane and heavier hydrocarbons from the feed stream comprises; cooling the feed stream to yield a chilled feed stream; introducing the chilled feed stream into a feed stream separation unit to yield a feed stream separator bottom stream and a feed stream separator overhead stream; pumping the feed stream separator bottom stream to yield a pressurized feed stream separator bottom stream; introducing the pressurized feed stream separator bottom stream into a stripper column; reducing the pressure of the feed stream separator overhead stream to yield a letdown feed stream separator overhead stream; introducing the letdown feed stream separator overhead stream into an absorber column; collecting a stripper column overhead stream from the stripper column; chilling the stripper column overhead stream to yield a chilled stripper column overhead stream; reducing the pressure of the chilled stripper column overhead stream to yield a letdown stripper column overhead stream; introducing the letdown stripper column overhead stream into the absorber column; collecting an absorber bottom stream from the absorber column; compressing the absorber bottom stream to yield a compressed absorber bottom stream; heating the absorber bottom stream to yield a heated absorber bottom stream; introducing the heated absorber bottom stream into the stripper column; and collecting a stripper column bottom stream from the stripper column, wherein the stripper column bottom stream forms the propane and heavier hydrocarbon stream and wherein the propane and heavier hydrocarbon stream comprises propane and heavier hydrocarbons and less than about 2.0% of ethane by volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery system comprising:
a deep dewpointing subsystem (DDS) configured to separate a propane and heavier hydrocarbon stream from a feed stream comprising methane, ethane, and propane to yield an ethane-containing residue gas stream, the DDS comprising; a first heat exchanger configured to receive the feed stream and to output a chilled feed stream; a feed stream separation unit configured to receive the chilled feed stream and to output a feed stream separator bottom stream and a feed stream separator overhead stream; a first compressor configured to compress the feed stream separator bottom stream and to output a compressed feed stream separator bottom stream; a second heat exchanger configured to chill the compressed feed stream separator bottom stream to yield a chilled feed stream separator bottom stream; a first valve configured to reduce the pressure of the feed stream separator overhead stream to yield a letdown feed stream separator overhead stream; an absorber column configured to receive the letdown feed stream separator overhead stream into the absorber column and to produce an absorber bottom stream; a second compressor configured to receive the absorber bottom stream to output a compressed absorber bottom stream; a stripper column configured to receive the chilled feed stream separator bottom stream and the compressed absorber bottom stream and to output a stripper column overhead stream and a stripper column bottom stream; a third heat exchanger configured to chill the stripper column overhead stream and to heat the compressed absorber bottom stream and to output a first chilled stripper column overhead stream and a heated absorber bottom stream; a fourth heat exchanger configured to further chill the first chilled stripper column overhead stream and to output a second chilled stripper column overhead stream, wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to further chill the second chilled stripper column overhead stream and to output a third chilled stripper column overhead stream, a second valve configured to reduce the pressure of the third chilled stripper column overhead stream to yield a compressed stripper column overhead stream, wherein the absorber column is further configured to receive the compressed stripper column overhead stream, and wherein the stripper column bottom stream forms the propane and heavier hydrocarbon stream and wherein the propane and heavier hydrocarbon stream comprises propane and heavier hydrocarbons and less than about 2.0% of ethane by volume. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
Specification