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R. C.
MILTON
BUCHAN,*R. J. SULLIVAN,*
WILLIAMS,*
AND
H. H. SPAIN*
ABSTRACT
The dehydration of natural g a s in the field i s
discussed from the producers' standpoint. The need
for reducing the water content of g a s to eliminate
freezing in gas-lift systems and to meet the specifications imposed by g a s purchasers is winced out.
Dehydration of natural g a s h a s become a n e c e s s i t y in many fields in which high-pressure g a s i s
handled. When the water content of g a s is reduced
sufficiently, the clogging of l i n e s by hydrates and
i c e i s eliminated. Most g a s companies s p e c i f y a
low maximum water content which requires that t h e
producer remove a s u b s t a n t i a l amount of t h e water
naturally present. Oil producers using g a s for g a s
lift frequently find that i t i s e s s e n t i a l t o dehydrate
s u c h gas. T h e c o s t of dehydration equipment h a s
been high, but is being reduced as a r e s u l t of s t u d y
by operators and equipment manufacturers. T h e
operating c o s t i s low. Dehydration, as d i s c u s s e d
in t h i s paper, i s defined a s the removal of t h e liquid water a n d some of t h e water vapor, in order t o
reduce t h e dew point of t h e gas.
F r e e z i n g of g a s l i n e s , regulators, a n d c h o k e s in
the field h a s a l w a y s been a problem to s o m e extent.
When relatively low-pressure g a s s y s t e m s were
used, trouble w a s usually encountered only during
very cold weather. A s the p r e s s u r e s u s e d in g a s
s y s t e m s were increased to about 1,000 Ib, and a s
w e l l s having tubing p r e s s u r e s in e x c e s s of about
1,500 Ib were produced, freezing troubles i n c r e a s e d
considerably. Until about s i x or s e v e n y e a r s ago,
freezing w a s prevented by heating t o keep t h e temperature of the g a s above the hydrate-formation
point when p a s s i n g through regulators and chokes.
H e a t i n g did not prevent a l l freezing, particularly in
l i n e s downstream from regulator s t a t i o n s where the
g a s approached ground temperatures which were often below the hydrate-formation temperature. Ljanua l l y operated drips for the removal of condensed
water from low-pressure g a s l i n e s were frequently
i n s t a l l e d and were s a t i s f a c t o r y operating a i d s in
*Humble Oil and Refin~ngCompany, Houston.
+presented by R . C . Buchan at the sprlng meeting of the Southwestern District, Dlvision of Production, Dallas, March 1950.
Fig.
is a s s u m e d in t h i s d i s c u s s i o n t o be t h e w e l l head.
2. Temperature of ground a t line depth.
3. Rate of g a s flow.
Although t h e temperature of g a s produced from a
well may sometimes be estimated from t h e depth of
the well, t h e bottom-hole temperature, and t h e flow
rate, i t is usually a d v i s a b l e t o determine t h i s temperature directly.
Fig. 1 i n d i c a t e s the minimum ground temperatures
t h a t can b e e x p e c t e d in T e x a s and L o u i s i a n a a t a
s o i l depth of 18 in. T h e d a t a upon which t h i s chart
i s based c o n s i s t e d of s c a t t e r e d measurements of
the a c t u a l ground temperature, supplemented by
atmospheric temperature d a t a , obtained from t h e
United S t a t e s Weather Bureau, combined with d a t a
on the relation of ground temperature t o atmospheric
temperature. T h e minimum ground temperature a t a
s o i l depth Af 36 in. i s ordinarily about 5 F. higher
than the temperatures indicated in Fig. 1.
After wellhead a n d ground temperatures have
been e s t a b l i s h e d , the g a s temperature a t a n y d i s t a n c e from t h e well head may be e s t i m a t e d by u s e of
F i g . 2. T h i s i s a chart which g i v e s t h e relation,
for various r a t e s of flow, between t h e g a s temperature a t a n y point along a line a n d the difference between g a s and ground temperatures. T h e r e l a t i o n s
utilized in Fig. 2 have been deduced from experimental d a t a from various s o u r c e s which embrace
r e s u l t s o n line s i z e s from 2 t o 22 in. Surprisingly,
the line s i z e is not a n important factor. Although
the effect of line pressure i s disregarded in Fig. 2,
pressure d o e s have a minor effect on the temperature-distance relation. E s t i m a t e s made by u s e of
Fig. 2 a r e reasonably c l o s e for g a s p r e s s u r e s of
a b o u t 1,500 psi. At higher p r e s s u r e s t h e line tem- ,
peratures e s t i m a t e d from t h e s e r e l a t i o n s may b e
s l i g h t l y low, a n d a t lower p r e s s u r e s they may be
somewhat high.
T h e s o l i d l i n e s of Fig. 2 are intended only t o
s e r v e a s guide lines. T o use the chart, a line para l l e l t o the guide line for t h e appropriate flow rate
i s drawn through t h e point on the ordinate corresponding t o t h e e x p e c t e d or a c t u a l difference in
temperature between wellhead g a s a n d ground a t
line level. If it i s n e c e s s a r y t o interpolate between
t h e various flow r a t e s for which guide l i n e s a r e
shown, a linear interpolation may b e made between
'the i n t e r c e p t s on a n y grid l i n e s parallel t o the
a b s c i s s a . T h e r e l a t i o n s of Fig. 2 a r e for s t a b i l i z e d '
conditions of flow. It should b e borne in mind that
a s much as s e v e r a l d a y s may b e required for s t a bilization of temperature.
T h e use of Fig. 2 is illustrated by a n example
in which the difference between wellhead tempera-
Fig.
- Chart
ture and ground temperature a t line depth i s assumed t o b e 5 0 F., and in which t h e flow rate is
assumed t o be 3 MMcf per day. From the point on
t h e ordinate corresponding t o the temperature differe n c e , a dotted line is drawn parallel t o t h e guide
line for a r a t e of 3 MMcf per day. T h e dotted line
s h o w s the relation between temperature difference
a t any point and d i s t a n c e from well head for the
conditions assumed.
Fig. 2 h a s been very useful for predicting temperatures in s y s t e m s and for s e l e c t i n g the s i t e of a
dehydrator or h e a t e r s where a wide choice of locations i s possible.
F i g . 3 p r e s e n t s d a t a published by D. L. K a t z ' of
t h e University of Michigan for the prediction of
temperatures and p r e s s u r e s under which g a s e s of
various d e n s i t i e s form hydrates. In t h i s graph the
a r e a above- any particular curve r e p r e s e n t s t h e temperature-pressure region in which hydrates c a n
e x i s t , provided there is sufficient water present,
and the a r e a below the curve r e p r e s e n t s the region
in which hydrates cannot exist. T h e d a t a u s e d in
'References are at the end of the paper.
10
TEMPERATURE OF
Fig.
8 000
6000
4000
2000
Q
a
VI
W
I
3
too0
800
600
Z
400
200
T e m p e r ~ t u r e corrsrpondmnq to tnot
polnt 8s the rnlnlmum #ntllal
t e m p e r ~ l u r e l o prevent freerrnq
100
100
200
400
600
BOO I 0 0 0
FINAL PRESSURE
2000
PSlA
Fig. 4
Katz' C u r v e s for P e r m i s s i b l e Expansion
of a 0.6 Gravity Natural G a s without Hydrate
Formation
11
Fig.
Fig.
PRESSURE
LBS PER SO IN
Water-vapor
Capacity of Natural Gas
. .-
Polnt
Cons~dered
Reservoir
Well Head
Entrance to
first t r a p
Watervapor
Water C o n t e n t
P r e s - Temper- C a p a c i t y (Gal per MMcf)
sure
ature
(Gal per , -A- ,
(PSI) (Deg F . ) MMcf)
Vapor Liquid
1,900
1,500
127
74
9.8
2.5
9.8
2.5
0
7.3
1,500
70
2.2
2.2
7.6
E x i t from
first t r a p
1,500
70
2.2
2.2
Entrance to
second trap
1,500
50
1.1
1.1
1.1
E x i t from.
s e c o n d trap
1,500
50
1.1
1.1
875
60
2.4
1.1 ,
Entrance t o
field s y s t e m
12
I
In order t o a d a p t t h e equipment t o fluctuating demand and t o make i t s operation entirely automatic,
various controls were incorporated. A back-pressure
regulator w a s u s e d for throttling the g a s in lieu of
a positive choke, and a temperature limiter w a s ins t a l l e d to prevent the temperature in the s e c o n d
trap from becoming too low. When the temperature
dropped below a n y d e s i r e d value, t h e b a c k-pressure
regulator w a s opened automatically, allowing the
temperature in the trap t o r i s e t o normal operating
temperature. Liquid from t h e two t r a p s w a s dumped
automatically.
T o obtain optimum r e s u l t s from traps, it i s des i r a b l e that the pressure be a s high a s f e a s i b l e and
t h a t the temperature be a t , or near, the hydrateformation temperature in the line trap.
If no e x c e s s i v e turbulence i s expected, p a s t
experience h a s indicated that the g a s temperature
a t the trap may b e permitted to b e about 10 F.
below the hydrate point. T h e r e may be e x c e p t i o n s
where g a s p r e s s u r e s a r e higher than 2,500 psi. G a s
a t high pressure apparently f r e e z e s a t temperatures
c l o s e r to the hydrate point than d o e s g a s a t moderate pressures.
It i s good practice to avoid e x c e s s i v e turbulence
a t a l l points in the g a s system, both upstream and
downstream from the line trap. It i s often n e c e s s a r y
to heat the g a s which h a s been p r o c e s s e d by t h e
trap, if the g a s must undergo a n appreciable reduction in pressure s u c h a s that occurring in a choke
or regulator.
Wherever p o s s i b l e s w a g s and r i s e r s in the flow
line should be avoided. F i e l d experience s h o w s
that t h e e x i s t e n c e of s u c h s p o t s i s conducive to
freezing.
There i s some uncertainty a s t o the effect of t h e
amount of liquid water in a g a s on i t s tendency t o
form hydrates. Although there i s no obvious theor e t i c a l r e a s o n t o account for it, some field experie n c e h a s indicated t h a t t h e more liquid there i s in
a g a s , the more likely it i s to freeze a t low tern,
perature under high pressure. R e g a r d l e s s of whether
t h i s i s true or not, it i s s t i l l good practice t o remove a s much liquid water a s p o s s i b l e in order
that, if freezing d o e s occur, the severity of the
f r e e z e will be minimized.
After studying the individual problem, i t i s apparent that a n operator c a n adopt p r a c t i c e s and u s e
-auxiliary equipment t o a i d in obtaining the optimum
from line traps. In some c a s e s w e l l s can be flowed
intermittently a t a higher rate t o make u s e of higher
natural temperatures in the system. Where pressure
conditions permit, w e l l s can be partially choked
ahead of the trap in order t o use the cooling effect
'
Fig. 7
Wettype Dehydrators
Until r e c e n t l y practically a l l wet-type dehydrators were installed in conjunction with gasoline
plants or in central locations where a relatively
large volume of gathered g a s i s processed. T a b l e 2
13
Table 2
Dehydration
Drying Agent
P lants
Rated
Rated
Volume
Working Capacity Operating Processed
(MMcf
Pressure ( M M C ~ Pressure
(psi)
per day)
(psi)
per day)
Average
Operating
Temperature
(Deg F.)
Average
Water
Dew Point
Content of
Obtained
Treated Gas Installed
(Deg F.) ( L b per MMcf)
Cost
Vet-type Dehydrators:
Diethylene glycol
Diethylene glycol
D i e t h ~ l e n eglycol
D i e t h ~ l e n eg l y c o l
900
1,200
1,500
1,000
100
12
20
50*
830
960
805
740
50.0
11.O
22 .O
46.0
94
93
80
77
24
34
12
34
6.0
8.0
3.6
9.5
$116,827
26,550
55,021
%,399
13
-5
16
8
15
3.3
1.9
3.4
6.4
4.4
....
33,764
39,642
47,264
48,002
49,914
38,387
1.4
1.3
70,000
30,100
Dry-type Dehydrators:
F l o r i te
Florite
Florite
Florite
Florite
A c t i v a t e d alumina
1,500
840
1,500
500
800
1,500
Activated alumina
S i l i c a gel b e a d s
800
1,000
Not yet
determined
- 10
-10
s h o w s some of t h e e a r l i e r wet-type p l a n t s i n s t a l l e d ,
the operating conditions, and r e s u l t s obtained.
About a year a g o one manufacturer a d a p t e d t h e
p r i n c i p l e s u s e d in t h e s e p l a n t s t o the manufacture
and operation of lower-capacity u n i t s t o handle
s m a l l e r volume^,^ with the r e s u l t that an i n c r e a s ing number of wet-type dehydrators a r e being installed.
-.
..:
.L
, ,.
Fig. 8
..vrn/
::
I., " I -I
CL
,rr>.
rc
,ma-
- Glycol-type Gas-hydration U n i t
F i g . 8 i s a diagrammatic s k e t c h s h o w i n g the
method of operating a t y p i c a l wet-type dehydrator.
F i g . 9 i s a photograph of s u c h a plant which proce s s e s 20 to 25 hlMcf per day. T h e g a s t o be dehyd r a t e d i s p a s s e d through the diethylene g l y c o l or
other liquid a b s o r b e n t in the absorption tower.
D i e t h y l e n e g l y c o l i s continuously c i r c u l a t e d through
a heater a n d a tower to drive off the w a t e r and a n y
absorbed g a s e s . T h e d e s i g n of t h i s dehydrator c a n
Fig.
14
Fig. 10
15
CONCLUSION
Fig. 11
16
T h e kind permission of t h e Humble Oil and Refining Company t o publish t h i s paper i s appreciated.
REFERENCES
Katz, D. L: Prediction of Conditions for Hydrate Formation in Natural Gases, T r a n s . A m . I n s t . M a n a n g M e t .
Engrs. (Petroleum Development and Technology),lbO,
140-149 (1945).
Francis, A. W., Jr.; and hlaher, J . L: Automatic Package Ilnits for Gas Dehydration, presented at meetlng of
Natural Gas Association of Amerlca, Amarillo, Texas,
December 9, 1949.
DISCUSSION
p s i and a temperature of 70 F. T h e d e s i c c a n t mater i a l u s e d in both units w a s a c t i v a t e d alumina. Indirect-type steam-bath heaters a r e u s e d for h e a t i n g
t h e regeneration gas. T h e installed c o s t of t h e
smaller unit w a s $19,551, a n d the c o s t of the
larger $41,189. T h e s e c o s t s s e e m to be somewhat
l e s s than t h o s e for u n i t s of comparable c a p a c i t y
and working pressure l i s t e d by the authors.
T h e 10-hlilcf per d a y unit h a s been in s e r v i c e
for a period of approximately 19 months without a n y
apparent operating trouble. Average g a s dew points
of 0 F. or lower a r e s t i l l being obtained. T h e unit
h a s operated a t r a t e s varying from 1.75 Mklcf per
d a y t o 8.5 ~ ~ c f ' day,
~ e but
r h a s never b e e n loaded
over i t s rated capacity.
T h e 35-i\.lhlcf c a p a c i t y unit h a s been operated a t
r a t e s varying from approximately 1 3 hlhlcf per day
to a maximum of 3 7 RIXIcf per day. It operated continuously a t t h e 37-MMcf rate, which i s s l i g h t l y in
e x c e s s of i t s rated capacity, for a period of 3
w e e k s during J u l y 1949. In November 1949, a f t e r
the unit had been in s e r v i c e for approximately 1 5
months, i t became n e c e s s a r y t o replace the d e s i c c a n t because of e x c e s s i v e l y high dew points.
Water content as high a s 15 t o 18 Ib per million
cubic feet w a s being obtained toward t h e end of the
drying cycles. T h e s p e n t d e s i c c a n t w a s removed
and replaced with new d e s i c c a n t material. New
a c t i v a t e d alumina w a s placed in one tower and
F l o r i t e in the other. D a t a a r e being accumulated in
order to e s t a b l i s h the efficiency and relative merits
of a c t i v a t e d alumina a n d F l o r i t e for u s e a s drying
agents. T h e water removed from e a c h tower during
each regeneration L ycle i s dumped into a tank where
i t is measured. A record is kept of the amount of
water recovered from e a c h tower. Such a record,
kept over a period of time, should e n a b l e u s t o
e v a l u a t e t h e different materials as d e s i c c a n t s . Also,
i t e n a b l e s u s t o e s t i m a t e the water content of the
p r o c e s s e d g a s to check a g a i n s t t h e content determined by dew-point t e s t a p p a r a t u s . T h i s i s p o s s i b l e
s i n c e t h e water content of t h e g a s entering the dehydrator can be determined fairly accurately b) u s e
of water-capacity c u r v e s s u c h a s t h o s e mentioned
by the authors.
Over the p a s t two months the water recovery on a
per million cubic foot b a s i s from the towers containing t h e different d e s i c c a n t materials h a s been
e s s e n t i a l l y the same.
Laboratory t e s t s run on t h e s p e n t d e s i c c a n t mater i a l s removed from t h e unit indicated that i t s maximum absorptive c a p a c i t y w a s s l i g h t l y l e s s than 2
percent of i t s dry weight. Washing with various
agents, s u c h a s carbon tetrachloride, ether, ben-
17
from 3 4 0 F. t o 3 8 0 F.
Since the v a l v e s have been changed and the
h e a t e r capacity increased, i t h a s been p o s s i b l e to
keep t h e water content of t h e dehydrated g a s down
to a maximum of 2.5 to 3.5 Ib per million cubic feet
even when p r o c e s s i n g a t r a t e s s l i g h t l y in e x c e s s
of the rated c a p a c i t y of t h e units.
Our u n i t s have not been in s e r v i c e long enough
for u s to obtain a c c u r a t e operating and maintenance
c o s t s , but experience t h u s far i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e
e s t i m a t e s given in the authors' paper a r e reasonable. It is quite interesting to note that the value
of the'liquid hydrocarbons being recovered by our
dehydration units i s approxinlately 0.0005 c e n t s
per thousand cubic feet of g a s , and t h i s will offset
a portion of the operating c o s t s .
In summarizing, it can be s t a t e d that we feel the
principal difficulties experienced in the operation
of our packaged dehydration unit have been d u e t o
leaky control valves, fouling of the d e s i c c a n t by
t h e accumulation of high boiling point hydrocarbons,
p o s s i h l e overloading of the units, and lack of sufficient heat to reactivate the d e s i c c a n t material
properly.
We certainly agree with the authors in their conclusion that there i s need for considerable further
study of t h e dehydration problem. Such study should
result in better d e s i g n s of equipment, should reduce t h e i n s t a l l e d c o s t s , and should provide better
dehydration a t lower operating costs.