Department of Petroleum Engineering Gas Technology
Gas Technology
References:
- The properties of gases and liquids, (2004) Bruce [Link], John
[Link]
- Industrial Gases, (2002)
- Handbook of Petroleum Product Analysis, (2002)
- Chemical Engineering vol. 4, (2001) N.A. Downie James G. Speight
[Link] & [Link]
- Chemical Engineering vol. 1, (1999) - Petroleum Products Handb
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Department of Petroleum Engineering Gas Technology
Chapter One
Introduction
1.1 Gas and Vapor
A gas is the simplest form of matter. In the kinetic theory of matter, a gas is
simply a group of freely moving small spheres whose only interaction with
each other and other matter is via elastic collisions. It is in effect matter having
neither constant shape nor volume, and substantially invisible and intangible.
A gas above the critical point in a process in which it cannot condense. A
vapor is a gas below its critical point in a process in which the phase change
about primary case, it can be condensing.
Some Important Petroleum Gases
There are several important Hydrocarbon gases in petroleum field such as:
1.1.1 Natural Gas (N.G)
The largest natural gas reserves are located in the former USSR, Iran and
Qatar. There are also large reserves in the North Sea. Natural gas stands for
approximately 21% of the world’s energy consumption. Gas production has
been increasing at the rate of about 3% per year. About one-third of this gas
is obtained from oil wells and two-thirds from gas wells. More Than two-
fifths of the gas obtained from oil wells is returned to the ground to maintain
the pressure in the oil pools and thus increase the ultimate oil recovery. Crude
oil emerging from the well is accompanied by a large volume of natural gas,
about 300 - 600 cu ft (8.5m3) of gas per barrel of oil on the average. The
quantity of natural gas produced per barrel of oil decreases with the age of the
oil field.
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Department of Petroleum Engineering Gas Technology
GP = OP * GOR
GP: Raw Gas Production (SCFD).
OP: Oil Production (BOPD) or (Barrel/Day).
GOR: Gas Oil Ratio (SCF/Barrel).
Except for being used as fuel, natural gas is the most common feedstock for
hydrogen production or syngas production.
1 lbb of Petroleum = 158.98723 liter = 42 Gallon
1 lbb of Petroleum = 163.908 m3 of Natural Gas
1 lbb of petroleum = 600 ft3 of accompanied natural gas
Million Stander Cubic Foot (MMSCF) = )(مق مق10⁶ ft³
1 Ton of LPG= 16 lbb petroleum = 500m³ N.G
Price of Natural Gas(Cent/m³)=Price of Petroleum(Cent/lbb)/163.908(m³/
lbb)
1.1.2 Hydrogen Gas
Hydrogen is an important raw material for the chemical and refining
industries, and it may play a future role in the energy sector. The annual
growth is expected to be above 4%. Most of this growth is for refineries for
their production of ultra-low sulfur diesel and gasoline. The present use of
manufactured hydrogen is primarily for the production of ammonia and
methanol, then for hydrotreatment in refineries. Other present uses of
hydrogen are related to the food industry, the semi-conductor industry and the
metallurgical industry (for instance the direct reduction of iron ore).
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Department of Petroleum Engineering Gas Technology
1.2 Hydrogen Production Technology
Hydrogen is not available as conventional fossil fuels like natural gas, oil and
coal so it must be produced either from renewable energy driven electrolysis
or from fuel processing of hydrocarbons.
The principal process for converting hydrocarbons into hydrogen is steam
reforming. steam methane reforming reaction takes place accompanied by
other chemical reactions. The general overall reaction for the steam reforming
of hydrocarbons can be formulated as:
CnH(2n+2)+nH2O↔nCO+(2n+1)H2 (Steam Reforming)
or more specifically for methane, usually the major constituent of natural gas
as:
CH4+H2OCO+3H2 (Steam Methane Reforming)
1.3 Fuel Gases (Methane, Propane and Butane)
Methane is familiar as domestic piped gas in the more urban parts of the
world. Propane is most familiar in liquid form in low-pressure cylinders for
domestic use.
Propane, isobutane and butane are used in propellant mixtures, mixed with
liquid formulations such as hair spray or paint, in aerosol cans and as the fuel
for small domestic burners such as cigarette lighters.
The fuel gases are nearly always simply burned in air as a source of heat and
are, as a result, largely interchangeable with each other, with other fuels, from
petroleum to coal, and sometimes interchangeable with electrical or other heat
sources. Because of this interchangeability, and because they are often used
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Department of Petroleum Engineering Gas Technology
in domestic applications, these gases are not ‘industrial gases’ in the same
sense as the gases such as nitrogen, oxygen or acetylene.
1.4 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
This is a mixture of propane and butane, two hydrocarbons which are gaseous
at atmospheric pressure but liquid if higher pressure is applied. They are
obtained from natural gas at natural gasoline plants and also from refinery.
gases. A large volume of the gas can be compressed into a small volume of
liquid, simplifying handling problems.
Liquefied petroleum gas, or "bottled gas" as it is sometimes known, is an
important domestic fuel in rural communities and even in small communities
which have a central distributing system, where the LPG is supplied
consumers through the gas lines. LPG is also widely used as an intermediate
material in petrochemical manufacturing, and It is also being used to a
growing extent as motor fuel in trucks and buses.
The presence of ethane is avoided because this light hydrocarbon does not
liquefy under pressure at atmospheric temperatures. If the LPG contains
pentane, a liquid hydrocarbon heavier than butane, this component may
separate in a liquid state in the gas lines. This shows the importance of careful
fractionation of the propane-butane mixture to remove undesirable
hydrocarbons.
Natural gas and natural gasoline contain no unsaturated hydrocarbons, but
these may be present in refinery gas streams. The unsaturated hydrocarbons
have a tendency to polymerize and form gummy deposits, making their
presence undesirable in liquefied petroleum gas.
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Department of Petroleum Engineering Gas Technology
Care is taken by manufacturers to keep the propane and butane free of
hydrogen sulfide, which is corrosive and on burning produces sulfur dioxide,
a gas having a pungent odor. However, a minute quantity of ethyl mercaptan,
a sulfur compound having an exceptionally strong and disagreeable odor, is
added to the odorless propane and butane to warn the customer of gas leaks.
1.4.1 Natural Gas Liquids (NGLS)
Petroleum products as they are termed may also be supplied in whole or in
part from natural gas. The liquids extracted from gas constitute an important
supplement to our petroleum resources.
Though natural gas is predominantly methane, it contains other saturated
hydrocarbons and gasoline vapors. The heavier hydrocarbons are recovered
and sold as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gasoline, solvents, and raw
materials for the manufacture of plastics and chemicals, among other uses.