TB02: Assessing compression methods for increased reliability, flexibility and efficiency in gas processing plants

Abstract

Many of today’s gas processing plant operators face varying and often uncertainconditions This includes challenges such as the mode of operation and feed gasuncertainty For instance, gas processing plants can receive both rich and leangas Therefore, the plants must have the flexibility to handle both types withoutreducing performance Similarly, plants require the agility to operate in ethanerecovery or ethane rejection modes, respectively, and are often required to operatein extreme ambient temperature conditions Thirdly, regardless of the conditionsand mode of operation requirements, overall reliability is of essential value Thesecircumstances place substantial requirements toward the compressor technologyas far as reliability, flexibility and efficiency is concernedThis case study of a gas processing plant in North Dakota (USA) will examine theuse of a mechanical refrigeration cycle using commercial-grade propaneDiscussing different compressor technologies available for such applications, theauthor will analyze the performance characteristics of integrally gearedcompressor technology when applied in gas processing plants