Petronet LNG Ltd PetroTech

st
21 ,November,2012
LNG Terminal , Dahej
Basic Terminology
LNG CHAIN
 Physical Properties of LNG

Colorless

Odorless

Non-corrosive

Non-Toxic

Composition: Methane (85%-97%),Ethane(7%-2%)

Boiling Point : -160.5 deg C at atm pressure

Auto ignition Temperature: 540 deg C

Density: 430-460 kg/m3

Flammability range: 5%(LFL)-15%(UFL)

Gross Heating Value: 37000-39500 Btu/scm
 Uses of LNG

Fuel: LNG regasified into Natural gas and then utilized as
industrial fuel for power generation , feedstock for
fertilizers ,petrochemical, domestic fuel for cooking and
heating,

Air Separation: Using cryogenic energy, liquid nitrogen
and liquid oxygen are extracted from liquefaction and
separation of air.

Transportation Fuel: LNG powered trucks and buses
are more economic than CNG for long distance travels.

Aviation Fuel: LNG fueled aircraft has been developed in
Russia.
Uses of LNG
 Uses of LNG

LNG powered trucks

 Uses of LNG

LNG powered ship BergensFjord (Norway)

 Why treat Natural Gas?
Components of natural gas
Component Boiling Point Melting Point
(oC) (oC)

METHANE -161.5 -183

ETHANE -88.6 -172
PROPANE -42.1 -187.7
BUTANES -11 to 0.5 -138
PENTANES +27 to + 36 -129
HEXANES AND > 50 > -125
HEAVIER
Why treat Natural Gas?
 Natural Gas Impurities

Components freezing in cryogenic process (H2O, CO2
and Heavy hydrocarbons).

Toxic Components (Organic sulphur, H2O, COS )

Corrosive Components(Mercury , Solids)

Inert Components(Nitrogen ,Helium)

Helium is a value-added product and has following uses:
a)carrier gas for Gas Chromatography
b)condense hydrogen and oxygen to make rocket fuel
c)to cool superconducting magnets in MRI scanners
d)leak detection in high-vacuum &high pressure equipment
e)shielding gas in arc welding process
 Impurities Removal
Level
Components Level

H2O < 1 ppm

CO2 < 20 TO 50 ppm

H2S < 1 to 4 ppm

MERCURY < 10 nanogram /Nm3

AROMATICS < 5 to 10 ppm

(Heavy Hydrocarbons)
TOTAL SULPHUR < 5-30 mg /Nm3
 Treatment Steps
Components Method

Solids and Liquids Inlet Separation / Filtration

CO2 / H2S Absorption by solvent like

Amines ,Methanol , Sulfinol

H2O Adsorption on solid bed

MERCURY Adsorption on solid bed

AROMATICS /Inerts Fractionation

Treatment Steps
 CO2 to
atmospher Incinerator
e to burn
acid gas LPG to
Storage

Sulphur Sulphur
pallets to Recovery
Storage LPG
unit
recovery NGL to
unit Storage

Gas Gas Dew point

Gas from Inlet & Pr Slug- Sweetening Dehydration Depression Gas for Sale
offshore Reduction catcher Unit Unit unit

HC Liquid
to LPG
Plant
Condensate Caustic LPG to
Fractionatio Wash Unit Storage
n Unit

NGL to
Storage or Kerosene Kerosene
KRU Recovery to Storage
Unit

Heavy
Cuts to
Storage

BLOCK DIAGRAM OF GAS PROCESSING COMPLEX

 Treatment Steps

Inlet Separation : Filtration for removal of solids and slug

catcher to remove condensate/liquids.

Acid Gas Removal : Absorption by solvents to remove CO2

and H2S and other Sulphur compounds. The solvents are
Amines(MEA,DEA), Sulfinol , Methanol

Dehydration : Water is removed by absorption by

glycols(MEG,DEG)or adsorption on regenerable solid
bed(Silica Gel, alumina).

Mercury removal : Mercury removal by adsorption on

solid bed
Treatment Steps

Slug-catcher
 Gas Sweatening
H2S & CO2 are corrosive in presence of water
Sweetening is required for making gas saleable.
H2S (due to toxicity) and CO2 (due to lack of
heating value) are to be removed by processes
usually by amine solvents are known as Gas
sweetening.
Sour Gas(Natural gas containing more than 4PPM
H2S) is to be treated in GSU for removal of H2S.
During removal of H2S, some CO2 also gets
removed.
Sweet Gas: Gas containing less than 4PPM H2S
 MDEA Advantage
MDEA process has an advantage of
selective absorption of H2S from the
natural gas, leaving large amount of CO2
in the gas
DEA(Di ethanol amine) & MEA(Mono
ethanol amine) also used for sweetening,
however MDEA is preferred due to above
mentioned advantage.
Sweetening Plant
Absorber column
 Process Chemistry
H2S reacts instantaneously with MDEA
H2S + R3N ---> R3NH+ + HS-
During the absorption equilibrium is shifted
towards right and during regeneration to
left.
Absorption takes place at High Pressure &
Low Temperature while Regeneration
takes place at low pressure & High
Temperature(130 deg C)
 Process Chemistry Contd.
CO2 rxn takes place only after CO2
dissolve in water to form bicarbonate ion.
CO2+H2O+R3N -- > R3NH+ + HCO3-
CO2 rxn with water to form HCO3 is slow.
H2S rxn is fast .
It is assumed H2S rxn with MDEA is
limited to gas phase while rxn of CO2 is
limited to liquid phase.
 Parameters
H2S content in sweetened gas or sweet
gas
MDEA circulation rate
H2S content in lean amine(regnd MDEA)
Inlet gas & MDEA temperature
Pressure drop in absorber column
Pressure drop in regenerator column
Level in MDEA Tank
 Operational Problem
Foaming in absorber- Caused by
contaminants in MDEA. Contaminants may
be suspended solids, corrosion products,
amine degradation products, corrosion
inhibitor injected in well head etc
Fouling in plate Exchanger- Some black
material was observed on one side of
exchanger. Iron was found more.
Decreased Capacity of Unit- By formation of
heat stable salt
High MDEA Losses
 Treatment Steps

Schematic of Natural Gas Dehydration Unit

 Location of large LNG liquefaction plant

Stokhman
Snohvit

Sakhalin

Kenai
Qatar Iran
Arzew
Skikda
Libya
Damietta Brunei
Oman
Trinidad Yemen Bontang
Nigeria
Arun
Equatorial Tangguh
Guinea North
Angola
west Shelf Sakhalin
Gorgon

Existing

EPC Phase

Projected
 Why is Liquefaction needed?

Transportation through pipelines is not always feasible

Flexibility of sourcing by consumers and selling by

producers

LIQUEFACTION PLANTS

Peak Shaving Liquefaction Plants: These plants are of
small capacity and have discontinuous operation

Base Load Liquefaction Plants: These plants are of

very large capacity and have continuous operation
Qatar Gas-II-Largest LNG liquefaction plant
BONNY ISLAND,NIGERIA
 LIQUEFACTION PROCESSES

Cascade Process

Multi component Refrigeration

Single Mixed Refrigerant (SMR) Process

C3MR(Propane-Mixed Refrigerant)Process

DMR (Dual Mixed Refrigerant)Process

APX Process

Nitrogen Expansion Cycle

Evolution of LNG liquefaction Capacity
Mollier Diagram of Methane
Typical Refrigeration Cycle
 Typical Refrigeration Cycle

Latent Heat of refrigerant is used

Typical Turbo expander
Specific Heat of refrigerant is used
Typical Turbo expander
CONOCO PHILIPS OPTIMIZED CASCADE PROCESS

Pure Components are used as refrigerant

LNG Plants using Conoco Philips Cascade Process

TRINIDAD EGYPT
SINGLE MIXED REFRIGERANT (SMR) PROCESS
Propane Mixed Refrigerant(C3MR) PROCESS / APCI

52.4 barA 16.4 barA

-151OC

LNG

Split Mixed
Refrigerant

Mixed Refrigerant
Cycle

Propane
Cycle

-37.9OC -34.8OC
-31.5OC

Natural
Gas
 Dual Mixed Refrigerant(DMR) PROCESS
LNG
Natural Gas

MR-1 Cycle

MR-2
Cycle

FRACTIONATION

GT

GT
 APX PROCESS
LNG

GT

NATURAL
GAS
PROPANE
REFRIGERATION
CYCLE

GT
GT
 NITROGEN EXPANSION CYCLE PROCESS
LNG

SUBCOOLING

LIQUEFACTION

PRE COOLING

NATURAL
GAS
Advantages of Mixed Refrigerant
Process

Less Equipment

Better Operation flexibility by varying the refrigerant
composition

Refrigerants are produced from Natural gas

Possibility of producing sub-cooled LNG

Advantages of Conventional Cascade Process

Process Designing is simpler as Single Components are
used as refrigerants

Thermodynamics are easy to understand
THANK YOU