Articles
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.
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.
Centralized dehydration requires aggressive pipeline corrosion control
Dehydration plays an important role in proactively maintaining the integrity of oil, gas and multiphase pipelines.
Design and select a gasketed plate-type heat exchanger for gas processing
In recent years, plate-type heat exchangers (PHEs) have emerged as a viable alternative to shell-and-tube heat exchangers (S&THEs).
LPG plant revamp to increase capacity, produce commercial-grade propane—Part 1
The growth in the natural gas industry has reached the point where it will increase faster than any other primary energy source, due to its clear-burning characteristics and its ability to help meet environmental requirements.
Maximize propane recovery and ethane rejection at cryogenic gas plants
The shale gas revolution in the US has resulted in an abundance of NGL in the marketplace. The increase in output has also produced an excess of ethane, leading to a decrease in price for the chemical.
Process design overview for upgrading a gas-to-methanol facility
With the surge in natural gas production in the US, gas-to-methanol plants are receiving renewed interest.
Engineering approach optimizes process design, reduces costs for NGL facility upgrade
In the present oil and gas market, companies may think twice before installing new equipment, even for necessary upgrades.
Industry metrics
In the US, Henry Hub natural gas spot prices lifted briefly in October, but then dropped below $2.50/MMBtu in early November.
New in gas processing technology
Bedrock Automation has added an intelligent, standalone power supply to its growing line of scalable, secure control technologies.
- Gasum selects Wärtsilä for another bio-LNG project in Sweden
- Vanguard Renewables breaks ground on its first organics-to-renewable gas facility
- Linde selected to supply carbon capture technology to ADNOC’S Hail and Ghasha project
- Tecnimont to build waste-to-biogas plant to fuel local kitchens in India
- Topsoe, Aramco sign JDA to advance low-carbon hydrogen solutions using eREACT™
