Articles
Turn compliance into competitive edge by optimizing safety and environmental costs
Since the collapse of oil and gas prices in late 2014, many energy companies have taken steps to delay capital expenditures (CAPEX) and reduce operating costs to slumping markets.
The heat is on: Improving vaporization and corrosion control for natural gas chromatography
With the rise of global demand for natural gas in tandem with the increase in value of NGL, producers are extracting, processing and transporting larger varieties of hydrocarbons.
Integrated treatment strategies for gas processing projects
Different gas treatment steps may be required to provide products within the specifications defined by gas processing plant owners.
Detect faults in gas turbine installation, using adaptive network with fuzzy inference
Automatic fault detection becomes more essential as the modernization of industrial facilities grows more complex, to the detriment of the human operator.
Industry metrics
In the US, Henry Hub natural gas spot prices stabilized in April and early May to levels last seen in the summer of 2016, after vacillating in 4Q 2016 and 1Q 2017.
New in gas processing technology
CartoPac International Inc., in partnership with Code Corp., has introduced a fully integrated barcode scanning solution for gas utility companies.
Gas processing news
The country’s conservative government unveiled a radical plan to restrict exports of LNG at times when domestic shortages push up local prices, aiming to ease soaring energy costs for local manufacturers.
Editorial comment
On the opening day of Gastech 2017, which took place in April in Tokyo, Japan, international energy leaders examined how gas suppliers are adapting to the changing global market.
Shale asset development—An integrated design plan to minimize supply cost
Around the world, shale plays have emerged as a significant source of hydrocarbons. The ongoing development of these resources requires innovation to drive down the supply cost. Continuous improvement in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing is only part of the story, however. Generating an integrated design plan (IDP) from the reservoir, through the gathering system and facilities, to the sales pipelines—and across the asset lifecycle—is essential for further innovation. This capability demonstrates opportunities to improve the entire infrastructure design, reduce capital costs and maximize production efficiencies.
Debottlenecking of existing oil-gas plants brings significant economic benefits
In today’s challenging economic conditions, the debottlenecking of existing oil and gas plants appears very attractive. Most plants have some intrinsic, though mostly hidden, opportunities to boost their production capacities and efficiencies through troubleshooting and debottlenecking.
Uncover optimization opportunities in shale gas processing
The shale boom unleashed a flurry of new construction of gas processing plants in the US. With it came a major surge in gas processing capacity: from 77 Bcfd in 2009,1 to 83 Bcfd in 2013, to an estimated 95 Bcfd in 2017.2
African gas pipeline projects compete with coal and LNG power
Sub-Saharan Africa is in dire need of greater power generation capacity to provide energy to the 600 MM people on the continent who have no access to electricity. The region’s proven natural gas reserves of more than 496 Tcf could be a major driver for countries in the region to achieve energy security.
Evaluate the cause of reduced capacity in a TEG dehydration system
Moving gas from offshore production platforms to onshore processing facilities via a subsea pipeline usually requires that steps are taken to prevent the formation of hydrocarbon and gas hydrates. Preventive measures include: the addition of methanol (CH3OH), monoethylene glycol (MEG) or diethylene glycol (DEG) to the gas before transmission; and the removal of water to a concentration outside the hydrate formation region by absorbing water into triethylene glycol (TEG), usually in a packed absorber situated on the production platform.
Industry metrics
In the US, Henry Hub natural gas spot prices lifted at the end of 2016, briefly climbing above $3.50/MMBtu, but then slid back to around $2.50/MMBtu as of early February.
New in gas processing technology
GE Oil & Gas has launched Predictive Corrosion Management, a digital inspection solution for industrial assets, such as refinery pipes. This new Asset Performance Management (APM) solution uses embedded sensors to provide continuous inspection data and cloud-based analytics of pipe conditions to help operators manage risk, improve uptime and minimize total cost of operations.
Gas processing news
Velocys Plc successfully produced its first Fischer-Tropsch product at ENVIA Energy’s smaller-scale GTL plant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in early February. The products are fractionated onsite to produce premium wax, diesel and naphtha.
Editorial comment
Large-scale production of shale gas in the US, which began around the turn of the century, is now feeding US exports in the form of LNG.
Regional focus
Annual demand for natural gas in the EU is pegged at approximately 380 Bm3y–450 Bm3y. A portion of this demand is met by regional production within the EU. However, the European energy system is beset by challenges that are impacting EU gas supply.
Standardize compressor station design to reduce project costs and time line
A principal component of any gas transmission system is the compressor station.
Improve gas distribution networks with innovative pipeline monitoring and repair
The natural gas distribution industry—in India, referred to as the city gas distribution (CGD) industry—caters to domestic, commercial and industrial customers.
Advancing the role of gas and LNG in the global energy mix
Gastech is the largest and most important business and technology event for the natural gas and LNG sector, creating a global platform to address and discuss the latest challenges faced in Asia and on a wider international scale.
LPG plant revamp to increase capacity, produce commercial-grade propane—Part 2
Part 2 of this article continues an evaluation of the different modifications needed to retrofit the El-Wastani LPG plant in Egypt to enhance LPG recovery percentage and to produce an additional product—commercial propane—with high propane recovery percentage.
Satisfy new legislation on an existing gas terminal
Meeting the stringent demands of new environmental legislation can pose major challenges to existing gas processing facilities.
Centralized dehydration requires aggressive pipeline corrosion control
Dehydration plays an important role in proactively maintaining the integrity of oil, gas and multiphase pipelines.
Industry metrics
In the US, Henry Hub natural gas spot prices took a nosedive in October and November 2016, but then climbed above $3.50/MMBtu through the first three weeks of December as gas consumption skyrocketed 21% on the year in response to colder-than-normal weather.
New in gas processing technology
ExxonMobil’s new cMIST technology dehydrates natural gas using a patented absorption system inside pipes, and replaces the need for conventional dehydration tower technology.
Gas processing news
New Zealand’s LanzaTech has been awarded $4 MM by the US Department of Energy (DoE) to design and plan a 3-MMgpy demonstration-scale facility in the US.
Regional focus
The decline of global oil prices has resulted in the suspension of many LNG projects throughout the world.
Editorial comment
As trends in energy production and use evolve, so too must plans for networks to produce and consume that energy.
- Biogas in France: TotalEnergies starts its 2nd largest unit in Normandy
- ONEOK announces joint ventures with MPLX to build LPG export terminal at U.S. Gulf Coast location
- Ukraine plans to import 800 MMm3 of gas until April after Russian strikes
- Parker Hannifin joins iHAPC project to test H2 and argon for cleaner and more energy-efficient engine technologies
- India's BPCL signs LPG supply deal with Norway's Equinor
