Gas sweetening is the process for the removal of mainly acid gases (H2S and CO2) and, in

addition, the simultaneous removal of sulphur organic species (RSH, COS, CS2) from process
gas. It is an essential step of sour gas processing for natural gas treatment, NGL recovery,
LNGs, refineries and petrochemicals in order to meet transport and market specifications, to
comply with environmental regulations for emissions and to control corrosion. As a
consequence, concentrations must be limited. For example, for a commercial natural gas the
residual acid concentration is usually 4 ppmv of H2S and 2% CO2 with a mercaptans content
lower than 15 mg/Sm3 whereas in natural gas liquefaction (LNG) the CO2 content must be 50
ppmv and the H2S lower than 4 ppmv.

The removal of acid gases (H2S and CO2) can be achieved with a wide range of different
technologies. The chemical absorption of acid gases on amines is the most common but
molecular sieves and non-regenerative adsorbents can be also used for specific applications.
Chemical absorption of acid gases can be improved by use of activators or by combined use of
amines and physical solvents allowing the removal of additional sulphur compounds (RSH,
COS, CS2).

A list of available Gas Sweetening processes is the following:

 Conventional Amines: MEA, DEA, MDEA, DIPA. The most widely used is the MDEA as
it is more selective to H2S with lower regeneration heat while DEA is used in case total CO2 and
H2S removal is required. A higher selectivity of H2S vs CO2 can be achieved with use of
conventional MDEA by means of a special design with very low residence times in Amine
Absorber reducing CO2absorption and allowing a higher H2S/CO2 ratio in acid gas. The same
principle is used for Acid Gas Enrichment upstream the Sulphur Recovery Units

 Activated Amines: amine (MDEA or DIPA) is mixed with an activator to modify

absorption and regeneration properties such as improving the efficiency of CO2 removal,
improving the selectivity for H2S, reducing regeneration heat and allowing absorption of COS or
RSH, etc.

 Mixed Solvents: amines are mixed with physical solvents in order to enhance physical
absorption of sulphur compounds

 Molecular Sieves: normally used for the removal of mercaptans and H2S from gas
phase at a concentration of a maximum of some hundreds of ppmv while CO2 can be efficiently
removed at a max of 0,1 %. Mol. sieves are 5A type or larger and the typical process scheme is
based on open loop regeneration (spent regeneration gas is not recycled). Mol. sieves can be
also used for the sweetening of NGL or LPGs

 Non-Regenerative Adsorbents: used for the removal of H2S at lower concentrations

(typically lower than a hundred ppmv) and based on high activity metal oxides which by reaction
with H2S are converted to stable sulphides.

GAS DEHYDRATION AND HYDRATES CONTROL

We have executed more than 70 projects worldwide including glycol
dehydration, regeneration units and molecular sieve dehydration units.

Among our experience there are units in sour service (more than 20 ppmv
of H2S), the largest silica gel gas dehydration plants in the world and units
located offshore.
 Gas dehydration is a fundamental step in gas treatment and is included in nearly all gas
processing units in order to prevent the formation of hydrates in high pressure natural gases
during gas transmission or during cryogenic gas processing (such as LPG / NGL recovery or in
LNGs). Dehydration is also applied to prevent corrosion from condensed water in sour gas
streams.

Based on most common applications, the typical water dew points are the following:

 For natural gas transportation, depending on geographic area, in the range 0 °C to -20
°C, but can be lower for long subsea pipelines

 For Condensate / LPG recovery in the range -20 °C to -50 °C

 For NGL recovery and for LNGs, a residual water content lower than 0.1 ppmv,
corresponding to a water dew point lower than -80 °C, is required.

Different dehydration technologies can be utilized. When the dew point values to be achieved
are not very stringent methanol injection and silica gel dehydration can be used, in particular, for
gas transportation. If more stringent dew point values are required, which is the most common
case, dehydration with glycols (MEG, DEG and mostly TEG) in the range -10 °C to -40 °C is
applied. When a water dew point value lower than -80 °C is to be achieved for NGL or LNG,
molecular sieves will be used.

The following is a list of available Gas Dehydration processes:

Glycol Dehydration & Regeneration: glycol dehydration is one of the most widespread
gas processing technologies.

TriEthyleneGlycol (TEG) is the most used glycol due to the higher regeneration
temperature resulting in lower residual water content in regenerated glycol and allowing lower
treated gas dew points. DiEthyleneGlycol (DEG) and MonoEthyleneGlycol (MEG) are used
as well but their typical application is for hydrate inhibition service.

Several different designs are available for glycol regeneration. By increasing the lean glycol
purity both the treated gas dew point and the glycol circulation decrease but the complexity of
regeneration increases:

 Simple evaporation: only TEG reboiler is used for regeneration. The typical lean
TEG conc. is 98.5% wt. allowing a water dew points depression in the range of 40°C

 Conventional Stripping: conventional stripping column is added. Typical lean TEG

conc. is 99.9% wt. allowing a water dew points depression in the range of about 70 – 80 °C

 Improved Stripping: by increasing stripping gas flow and the complexity of the
stripping column, a maximum typical lean TEG conc. of 99.95% wt. can be achieved with a dew
point depression of about 80 - 90 °C

Siirtec Nigi patented glycol regeneration (DRIGAS™ - ECOTEG™): higher

purities and lower dew points are available by means of Siirtec Nigi patented processes.
DRIGAS™ is based on regeneration gas recycling allowing very high stripping rates with a lean
TEG purity of 99.98% and a treated gas dew point depression in the range of 100 °C. The
DRIGAS™ process does not require any additional solvent. Stripping gas is recycled and
therefore consumption is very low. Operating costs are lower with lower pollution as well.

ECOTEG™ is based on a similar arrangement to DRIGAS™ and it is applied to dehydrate

gases rich in aromatic compounds (BTEX) where the effluent control is critical and its emission
of aromatics into the environment is nil. The main advantages of the ECOTEG™ process are
the capability of meeting more stringent regulations for disposal without additional facilities, low
operating costs and low gas dew point (about the same as DRIGAS™).

Molecular Sieves Dehydration: mol. sieves are crystalline, highly porous materials made
by alumino-silicatesand are characterized by a very high internal surface with high adsorption
properties allowing very low residual water content in treated gas to be achieved. This is
typically in the range of 0.1 ppmv to 1 ppmv. Mol. sieves can be also used for the dehydration of
NGL or light condensate at ppm level.

Typical mol. sieve types used for gas dehydration are the 3A and the 4A depending on
feedstock composition. More specifically, the 3A is suggested to minimize COS formation when
the feedstock contains CO2 and H2S, while for NGL dehydration the 5A is normally used.

Operation is cyclical and after a mol. sieve bed is saturated with water it must be regenerated by
heating and cooling to restore adsorption capacity. Regeneration is normally closed loop type
and the regeneration gas is a slip stream of dry treated gas driven by means of regeneration
compressor.

Silica Gel Dehydration: in principle similar to mol. sieve with a similar plant arrangement
however silica gel only achieves a residual water content in treated gas in the range of 5 to 10
ppm allowing a dew point level of -40 °C to -50 °C which is intermediate between glycols and
mol. sieves.

Methanol Injection: methanol injection is normally used for hydrate inhibition and
dehydration for wellheads and multiphase transfer lines, for gas transportation in pipeline or in
LPG or LNG recovery units when moderate dew points are required. Typical achievable water
dew points are in the range of 0 °C to -40 °C depending on operating conditions, methanol
purity and injection flowrate. Methanol is characterized by high evaporation losses. However
sometimes the residual methanol liquid phase can be recovered by means of distillation.