LNG StorageChemical Gas StorageLiquefaction PlantsGas Processing Package Plants
Natural Gas Dehydration for Storage Applications
TECHNOLOGY SELECTION & OPTIMSATION
Jan. 2011
by
R.Brannock, P. Van den Bossche & W.H.Isalski,
Company Structure
2
GASFIN Investment SA Luxembourg
CIMCGroup
Shenzhen, P.R. China
TGE Gas Engineering GmbHBonn, Germany
40% 60%
CIMC TGE Gas Investment SA Luxembourg
Sep. 2010
CIMC China International Marine Containers (Group)
Founded 1980 in Shenzhen. Listed in Shenzhen Stock Exchange since 1994.
Main shareholders: COSCO, China Merchants Holdings.
Over 100 subsidiaries.
More than 47,000 employees worldwide.
Products and Services
Containers including dry van, reefer, tankand special containers.
Vehicles and road transportation equipments.
Chemical, beverages and food equipmentsincluding tanks, reactors and machineries.
Marine and offshore fabrication.
Airport equipment including passengerboarding bridges, automatic air cargohandling systems and automatic parkingsystems.
2008 Financial Data (in Euro)
Annual Sales 4.824 billion
Total Profit 0.196 billion
Net Profit 0.143 billion
Currency Conversion: 1 Euro = 9.81 RMB
CIMC Group Companies
3
Sep. 2010
Yantai Raffles Shipyard (51%)
Offshore and marine construction specialist.
Main office in Singapore.
Burg Industries (80% )
Semi-trailers, truck bodies and road tankers.
Process and storage tanks.
Main office in Pijnacker, The Netherlands.
CIMC Enric / CIMC Sanctum (100%)
Storage, transportation and dispensing products for cryogenic liquids and compressed gases.
Process equipments such as vaporizers, compressors, vessels, columns, reactors.
Main office in Shenzhen, P.R. China.
CIMC Group Companies
4
Sep. 2010
TGE Marine Gas Engineering
Design and Supply of cargo handlingsystems and cargo tanks for gas carriersand offshore units for LNF, LEG, LPG andCO2.
Ship Designs for all kinds of gas carriers.
Floating storage and production barges.
More than 25 years of experience andmore than 100 gas carrier contracts.
Main office in Bonn, Germany.
Air LNG
Conception and Development of specificLNG solution alternatives for transpor-tation systems on air, ground and water.
Creates project proposals of conclusiveecological LNG service capacity.
Main office in Bonn, Germany.
GASFIN and Associated Companies
5
Sep. 2010
Important Business Milestones
6
Sep. 2010
Office Locations
Brussels
New Delhi
LisbonLjublijana
Teheran
Manchester Bonn
Shanghai
Taipei
Cairo
Manchester
Bonn Shanghai
Taipei
Head / Main Office
Branch Office
Representation
New Delhi
Brussels
7
Sep. 2010
Man Power
Project / Construction Management
18%
Project Control
8%
QHSE / Document
Control6%
Project Engineering
8%Process /
HSE Design18%
Storage Tanks5%
Equipment / Package & Valves
8%
Electrical & Instrumentation
14%Piping & Structural9%
Civil1%
Procurement / Expediting
5%
TGE employs more than 320 engineers and specialists worldwide of more than 20 different nationalities.
8
Sep. 2010
TGE Business Areas
9
Nov. 2009
LPG & Petrochemical Gas TerminalsLNG Import TerminalsLNG Export terminals including LiquefactionGas ProcessingPackages Plants ....Glycol Dehydration Units
TGE Gas Engineering ReferencesNatural Gas Dehydration
14/04/2011
10
Gas Dehydration Unit, Libya
• Location: Libya
• Owner: Wintershall, Libya
• Completion: 2004
• Total capacity: 45,000 Nm3/h
TGE Gas Engineering ReferencesNatural Gas Dehydration
14/04/2011
11
Dew point Control Unit, Turkmenistan
• Location: Korpedje, Turkmenistan
• Owner: Turkmenneft
• Completion: 2004
• Total capacity: 4 x 138,000 Nm3/h
TGE Gas Engineering ReferencesNatural Gas Dehydration
14/04/2011
12
Glycol Regeneration Unit, Turkey
• Location: Turkey
• Owner: TPAO
• Completion: 2004
• Total capacity: 625,825 Nm3/h
14/04/2011
13
TGE Gas Engineering ReferencesNatural Gas Dehydration
Dehydration, Desulfurization and Regeneration Units, France
• Location: UGS – Beynes - France
• Owner: Storengy - France
• Completion: 2009 - December
•2 Dehydration units of 110,000 Nm³/h, 54 barg•2 Dehydration units of 200,000 Nm³/h, 94 barg•2 Desulfurization units of 135,000 Nm³/h, 94 barg•3 Glycol Regeneration units
TGE Gas Engineering ReferencesNatural Gas Dehydration
14/04/2011
14
Dehydration, Desulfurization and Regeneration Units, France
• Location: UGS – St.Clair - France
• Owner: Storengy - France
• Completion: 2012
•Desulfurization unit - 323 000 Nm³/h•Dehydration unit - 323,000 Nm³/h @ 98 bara•2 Glycol Regeneration units•Glycol Intermediate Storage
TGE Gas Engineering ReferencesNatural Gas Dehydration
15
Nov. 2009
• Location: UGS – St.Illiers - France
• Owner: Storengy - France
• Completion: Due 2012
• Dehydration Tower• Capacity 300 000 Nm³/h•3 Glycol Regeneration units•Glycol Intermediate Storage• Upgrade of the existing
control and safety systems
Dehydration and Glycol Regeneration Units, France
Natural Gas Dehydration
Natural Gas Dehydration
Dehydration Technologies Permeation
Vortex Units
Adsorption
Absorption
Comparison of Technologies Qualitative
Economic
Environmental
16
Jan. 2011
Natural Gas Dehydration
Dehydration = Removal of water
Why....
Prevent liquid dropout in downstream systems
Prevent hydrate formation
Prevent freezing
Achieve pipeline specifications
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Nov. 2009
Basic Process Options
Absorption of water in to another liquid
Adsorption of water on to a solid catalyst of adsorbent
Permeation through a membrane where water passes preferentially
Ranque-Hilsch Effect in a vortex tube
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Nov. 2009
Aims of Dehydration
Achieve water removal requirement whilst minimising:
Economic cost Capital cost
Operational cost
Energy usage
System pressure loss
Medium replacement
Environmental impact
Safety Risk
Is compromise necessary?
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Nov. 2009
Dehydration Gas Quality
Pipelines UK Specification ~50mg/Nm3
Europe ~60-70mg/Nm3
Specific Operators 20 mg/Nm3
Low Temperature Processes LPG Recovery
LNG Liquefaction Plants
Water dewpoint dependent on process
Between 0.1 to 1 ppm water for very cold processes.
This paper concentrates on technologies for pipeline specific applications.
20
Nov. 2009
Permeation
Membranes Bulk separation of impurities
Hollow fibre, Spiral wound sheet, Plate type
Components water, hydrogen, carbon dioxide permeate quicker than heavier molecular hydrocarbon compounds
Dewpoints greater than -50°C
Large pressure drop required
Sales gas lost to permeate
Degradation of membrane with heavy HCs/Aromatics
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Nov. 2009
Permeation
22
Nov. 2009
Vortex Units
Ranque-Hilsch effect – known >50 years
Centrifugal force spins gas creating high temperature, removal of slipstream of hot gas, means some gas has to leave colder
Effect can cause: condensation and separation
TGE apply Vortisep (TM) on several units
Small footprint, polishing unit for removal of small quantities
High pressure drop required – applicable when “free” energy available
23
Nov. 2009
Vortex Tubes
24
Nov. 2009
Vortex Tubes
25
Nov. 2009
TGE Vortisep Unit - Germany
Adsorption
Adsorption of impurities onto solid beds Typically silica gel or molecular sieve
Removal to very low levels possible Dewpoints <-100°C
PPM levels
Multi-bed systems One or more beds online
One of more beds being regenerated
Regeneration gas often recycled
26
Nov. 2009
Adsorption
27
Nov. 2009
Adsorption
28
Nov. 2009
Absorption
Glycols MEG, DEG, TEG, TREG
Methanol
TEG is usual preferred option Wide range of applicability
Low volatility = low losses
29
Nov. 2009
Absorption
30
Nov. 2009
Range of Glycol Regeneration Processes
Conventional Reboiler
Coldfinger
Vacuum Operation
Stripping Gas
Enhanced TEG Units - DRIZO
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Nov. 2009
TEG Regeneration Methods
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Nov. 2009
Typical TGE Process
Standard reboiler design
With Stripping gas capability
Energy integration using vent gas combustion enables: Heat utilisation in reboiler
Combustion of aromatics
No hydrocarbon vent streams
Modular Design
33
Nov. 2009
TEG Dehydration Process
Dehydration Facility – UGS Turkey
34
Nov. 2009
Comparison of Dehydration Technologies
Storage in depleted wells, salt caverns
Responsive to market demands
Good turn down capability
Operation at range of pressures
Low operating costs – including loss of product
Vortex & Membrane not suitable
Absorption and Adsorption suitable
35
Nov. 2009
Qualitative Comparison
Feed Gas Flowrate 150 – 1900 MMSCFD of natural gas, at 5 – 25oC.
Operating Pressures 45 – 85 barg for sales gas delivery.
Dry Gas outlet water content -10oC dewpoint at 75 barg.
The gas is assumed as 50% saturated at 130 barg & 35oC because it emanates from a cavern which is partially dry.
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Nov. 2009
Qualitative Comparison
37
Nov. 2009
Unit numbers Glycol Units Silica Gel Units
Trains3 X Absorbers
3 X Regeneration Units2 X 50% trains in parallel
HP vessels 3, excluding demister/slug
catcher at inlet
12, excluding demister/slug
catcher at inlet
Ancillary
Equipment
6 10
Plot Area Approx. 40m X 30m Approx. 70m X 25m
Economic and Environmental Comparison
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Nov. 2009
Parameter Glycol Units Silica Gel Units
Power ~ 140 kW ~100kW
Fuel Gas ~ 150 Sm3/h natural gas ~ 270 Sm3/h natural gas
Chemicals UsageSmall, but continuous Glycol
Losses in product gas.
Silica gel replacement every 3 years for
whole adsorber contents.
EmissionsNone Considerable condensate to dispose of.
Typically 300 – 500 kg/h
Operating CostLow-Medium Medium-High, because of the fuel gas
usage. Other costs not large.
Capital Costs Unit cost 1.0 Unit cost 1.27
FlexibilityCan turn down to 10% per train Can turn down to very low values by
altering timer sequence
Speed of Start-up 30 minutes 10 – 20 minutes
Pressure drop <0.3 bar <0.5 bar
Summary
Silica gel and TEG units are main technologies for dehydration of natural gas in storage industry
TEG Units Lower CAPEX and OPEX
Lower emissions
Smaller footprint
Simple Operation and integration
Modular for simple expansion
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Nov. 2009
Acknowledgements
40
Nov. 2009
GASTECH Organisation
All at TGE Gas Engineering
Harry Isalski
Creating the future with engineering
