Integrated high pressure NGL recovery in the production of liquefied natural gas
First Claim
1. A process for the recovery of components heavier than methane from natural gas, wherein the process comprises(a) cooling a natural gas feed to provide a cooled natural gas feed and introducing the cooled natural gas feed into an absorber column at a first location therein;
- (b) withdrawing from the absorber column a first overhead vapor stream depleted in components heavier than methane and a bottoms stream enriched in components heavier than methane;
(c) introducing a methane-rich reflux stream at a second location in the absorber column above the first location;
(d) separating the bottoms stream into a stream enriched in methane and one or more streams enriched in components heavier than ethane; and
(e) introducing an absorber liquid comprising components heavier than ethane into the absorber column at a location between the first location and the second location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Process for the recovery of components heavier than methane from natural gas, wherein the process comprises (a) cooling a natural gas feed to provide a cooled natural gas feed and introducing the cooled natural gas feed into an absorber column at a first location therein; (b) withdrawing from the absorber column a first overhead vapor stream depleted in components heavier than methane and a bottoms stream enriched in components heavier than methane; (c) introducing a methane-rich reflux stream at a second location in the absorber column above the first location; (d) separating the bottoms stream into a stream enriched in methane and one or more streams enriched in components heavier than ethane; and (e) introducing an absorber liquid comprising components heavier than ethane into the absorber column at a location between the first location and the second location.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A process for the recovery of components heavier than methane from natural gas, wherein the process comprises
(a) cooling a natural gas feed to provide a cooled natural gas feed and introducing the cooled natural gas feed into an absorber column at a first location therein; -
(b) withdrawing from the absorber column a first overhead vapor stream depleted in components heavier than methane and a bottoms stream enriched in components heavier than methane;
(c) introducing a methane-rich reflux stream at a second location in the absorber column above the first location;
(d) separating the bottoms stream into a stream enriched in methane and one or more streams enriched in components heavier than ethane; and
(e) introducing an absorber liquid comprising components heavier than ethane into the absorber column at a location between the first location and the second location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for recovery of components heavier than methane from natural gas, wherein the system comprises
(a) an absorber column for separating natural gas into a methane-rich stream and a stream enriched in components heavier than methane; -
(b) cooling means to cool a natural gas feed to provide a cooled natural gas feed and means for introducing the cooled natural gas feed into the absorber column at a first location therein;
(c) means for withdrawing from the absorber column a first overhead vapor stream depleted in components heavier than methane and a bottoms stream enriched in components heavier than methane;
(d) means for introducing a methane-rich reflux stream at a second location in the absorber column above the first location;
(e) separation means for separating the bottoms stream into a stream enriched in methane and one or more streams enriched in components heavier than ethane; and
(f) means for introducing an absorber liquid comprising components heavier than ethane into the absorber column at a location between the first location and the second location. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification