Lean oil absorption 1

[xlb123]

Hello,

I can't really find much information on the lean oil absorption process for hydrocarbon processing. I was wondering what would be the reactor conditions for a lean oil absorption unit with desired separation into C1-C3 and C4+ streams? Specifically, the absorption column, ROD and the stripper. Since C4+ is desired, I've chosen my oil solvent to be C12-C13 at ambient temperature. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[dcasto]

GPSA Data Book (Which desribes it.

The Campbell Petroleum books "gas conditioning and processing" Volume 2

The last ambient lean oil plant built was probabily 1970. I operated one up to 1983. You will lose lean oil into the gas and into the product screen, we lost about 5000 gallons per month on a 10 MMSCFD stream. You will have to run boilers because you'll need steam stripping. This also means that you will have oil in your water and steam system.

Hire an engineer or a good midstream company (if you need help locating I can give you some ideas in the NY area). They can fix you up with better solutions.

 

[xlb123]

Thanks for the reply. I didn't realize lean oil absorption was that outdated. I only came across it in the brief description provided in the GPSA book. It seemed like a good alternative since I desired heavier hydrocarbons and thought ambient temperatures would be easier to operate. What would be a good alternative then? Cryogenic refrigeration and fractionation?

 

[dcasto]

you need to do a study on what fits best which is a function of economics which requires gas compositions and understanding of the markets.

Straight refrigeration (-40)is an option that could be economical. Cryogenic (-150) might be an over kill. A modified lean oil called refrigerated lean oil has some windows of coverage that might work.

If you have large volumes and poor economics and need to make dew point, there is the "quick cycle" option.

This is whereyou need to engage a little outside help.

there is a private Group here at eng-tips where you could ask the Authors of the GPSA Databook for more detailed questions GPA Section A Design. You may have to beg to get in or be a memeber of the GPA organization.....

 

[dpguy]

Try these guys

http://www.dewpointcontrol.com

they have used commercial chillers in the past to extract heavies.

 

[EmmanuelTop]

xlb,

Visit:

http://www.aet.com/

and you can always request a quotation from these guys.

While I was working on the grassroots design of high-pressure gas plant in Oman (including LPG recovery from Sales Gas), an option for recovering C3+ was an Absorption Process as well. However, due to large driving force available for expander - the plant landing pressure has been selected as 100barg - turboexpander plant (Ortloff's SCORE process) has been confirmed as the most economically viable solution.

Best regards,

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

 

[maddocks]

dcasto is right. Lean oil is outdated, expensive, energy intensive, and can typically be replaced with either a basic refrig unit, a refrigerated JT package, or even a modern variant on the old GSP process.

Ortloff has a number of cool designs (ha,ha) that have excellent recovery if you really need to go deep. There are lots of tricks that can be done - hire a process consultant and they can provide you with some comparisons that will be applicable to your gas stream and situation.