Natural gas processing technology condensate stabilization

1. Mohamed Abdelraof Saad
Condensate
Stabilization

2. Mohamed Abdelraof Saad
Introduction :
 Liquids that are separated from the gas stream in the first separator may be flowed
directly to a tank or may be "stabilized" in some fashion.
 These liquids contain a large percentage of methane and ethane, which will flash to
gas in the tank.
 This lowers the partial pressure of all other components in the tank and increases
their tendency to flash to vapors. The process of increasing the amount of
intermediate (C3 to C5) and heavy (C6 + ) components in the liquid phase is called
"stabilization." In a gas field this process is called condensate stabilization and in an
oil field it is called crude stabilization.
 In almost all cases the molecules have a higher value as liquid than as gas. Crude oil
streams typically contain a low percentage of intermediate components. Thus, it is
not normally economically attractive to consider other alternatives to multistage
separation to stabilize the crude. In addition, the requirement to treat the oil at high
temperature is more important than stabilizing the liquid and may require the flashing
of both intermediate and heavy components to the gas stream.
 Gas condensate, on the other hand, may contain a relatively high percentage of
intermediate components and can be easily separated from entrained water due to its
lower viscosity and greater density difference with water. Thus, some sort of
condensate stabilization should be considered for each gas well production facility.

3. Mohamed Abdelraof Saad
Multistage separation process

4. Mohamed Abdelraof Saad
Flash Stabilization

5. Mohamed Abdelraof Saad
MULTIPLE FLASHES AT CONSTANT PRESSURE
AND INCREASING TEMPERATURE

6. Mohamed Abdelraof Saad
Condensate stabilization
system
COLD FEED DISTILLATION TOWER

7. Mohamed Abdelraof Saad
DISTILLATION TOWER WITH REFLUX

8. Fuel gas
C. D.
Deh unit
Flare
Fuel gas
Cond. Storage
DISTILLATION TOWER WITH REFLUX

9. Mohamed Abdelraof Saad
Column with external reflux