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A new process for well-head gas upgrading

Tunå, Per LU and Hulteberg, Christian LU orcid (2013) In Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 13. p.1-6
Abstract
As oil-prices and environmental concerns are increasing, it is of interest to better use the well-head gas.

This light fraction co-produced with petroleum is generally flared and in this paper a method for

upgrading and returning the co-product to the petroleum stream is suggested. The method is based on a

conversion of the gas to synthesis gas and upgrading this synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons. But as

the placement of such systems would be remote, the design has been performed using the following

criteria. First of all the system has to be robust in design and secondly it has to be self-sustaining in that

no additional feedstocks or chemicals are required for its operation and... (More)
As oil-prices and environmental concerns are increasing, it is of interest to better use the well-head gas.

This light fraction co-produced with petroleum is generally flared and in this paper a method for

upgrading and returning the co-product to the petroleum stream is suggested. The method is based on a

conversion of the gas to synthesis gas and upgrading this synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons. But as

the placement of such systems would be remote, the design has been performed using the following

criteria. First of all the system has to be robust in design and secondly it has to be self-sustaining in that

no additional feedstocks or chemicals are required for its operation and thirdly, the product should be

crude oil compatible.

In the paper, the system has been outlined, the major unit operations designed and heat and mass

balances have been determined. Six cases have been compared, differing in reforming and oxygen

generation technology. The comparison has been made on both a technical and production economic

premises. In each case the investment cost has been determined and from this, and the calculated

produced hydrocarbons, a production cost per barrel has been determined.

The production of hydrocarbons well-head gas is a viable route and the production cost for the hydrocarbons

vary between $71 and $156 a barrel, with the lower cost being quite attractive with the crude

prices of recent years (around $100 a barrel). The production cost is however heavily influenced by the

investment cost and the fact that the stranded natural gas is considered free. The production of an

alternative, upgraded fuel would be a possibility; this however warrants additional investment in both

production equipment and infrastructure. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering
volume
13
pages
1 - 6
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000320150300001
  • scopus:84876321147
ISSN
2212-3865
DOI
10.1016/j.jngse.2013.03.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ff8a1052-074d-4820-a87c-4db817748340 (old id 3736577)
alternative location
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ludwig.lub.lu.se/science/article/pii/S1875510013000176
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:30:41
date last changed
2023-09-14 05:34:59
@article{ff8a1052-074d-4820-a87c-4db817748340,
  abstract     = {{As oil-prices and environmental concerns are increasing, it is of interest to better use the well-head gas.<br/><br>
This light fraction co-produced with petroleum is generally flared and in this paper a method for<br/><br>
upgrading and returning the co-product to the petroleum stream is suggested. The method is based on a<br/><br>
conversion of the gas to synthesis gas and upgrading this synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons. But as<br/><br>
the placement of such systems would be remote, the design has been performed using the following<br/><br>
criteria. First of all the system has to be robust in design and secondly it has to be self-sustaining in that<br/><br>
no additional feedstocks or chemicals are required for its operation and thirdly, the product should be<br/><br>
crude oil compatible.<br/><br>
In the paper, the system has been outlined, the major unit operations designed and heat and mass<br/><br>
balances have been determined. Six cases have been compared, differing in reforming and oxygen<br/><br>
generation technology. The comparison has been made on both a technical and production economic<br/><br>
premises. In each case the investment cost has been determined and from this, and the calculated<br/><br>
produced hydrocarbons, a production cost per barrel has been determined.<br/><br>
The production of hydrocarbons well-head gas is a viable route and the production cost for the hydrocarbons<br/><br>
vary between $71 and $156 a barrel, with the lower cost being quite attractive with the crude<br/><br>
prices of recent years (around $100 a barrel). The production cost is however heavily influenced by the<br/><br>
investment cost and the fact that the stranded natural gas is considered free. The production of an<br/><br>
alternative, upgraded fuel would be a possibility; this however warrants additional investment in both<br/><br>
production equipment and infrastructure.}},
  author       = {{Tunå, Per and Hulteberg, Christian}},
  issn         = {{2212-3865}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1--6}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering}},
  title        = {{A new process for well-head gas upgrading}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2013.03.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jngse.2013.03.003}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}