Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company

Imperial Oil Resources

John Timothy Cullinane

Edward J Grave

Paul Scott Northrop

Diana Y Castellanos Duarte

Michael A Marr

Givemore Sakuhuni

Bhupender S Minhas

P Scott Northrop

Shwetha Ramkumar

Stephanie A Freeman

Mauro Lo Cascio

Frederik Albert Lammers

Sean T Philbrook

Brian C Speirs

Srinivas N Moorkanikkara

Antonious J A M Hendriks

Tom Meekhof

Christopher Hardy

Priya Santhanam

Diane Y Castellanos Duarte

Eric D Nelson

Lalit K Bohra

Antonius JAM Hendriks

Frederick A Lammers

Noman K Yeh

Methods of crude oil stabilization may include separating crude oil in a bulk separator into a first light hydrocarbon stream, a first water stream, and a first bottoms stream; separating the first bottoms stream in an intermediate pressure separator into a second light hydrocarbon stream, a second water stream, and a second bottoms stream; separating the second bottoms stream in a separator into a third light hydrocarbon stream, a third water stream, and a third bottoms stream; introducing a stripping gas stream comprising methane into the separator; storing the third bottoms stream in a vessel comprising an outlet for a fourth light hydrocarbon stream; treating at least a portion of the first, second, third, and fourth light hydrocarbon streams in a vapor treatment process to form a final light hydrocarbon stream; and recycling at least a portion of the final light hydrocarbon stream to the separator.

Methods of vapor pressure stabilization of crude oil

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for sweetening natural gas may utilize a water wash to achieve a reduction in raw natural gas stream contaminants (e.g., particulate contaminants and/or chemical contaminants) and/or to recover solvent used for removing HS and COfrom the natural gas. For example, a method may include contacting a first natural gas stream with a first water stream in a co-current contacting system to produce a second natural gas stream and a second water stream, wherein the first natural gas stream comprises natural gas, an acid gas, and a contaminate, and wherein a concentration of the contaminate in the second natural gas stream is less than a concentration of the contaminate in the first natural gas stream; and removing at least a portion of the acid gas from the second natural gas stream.

Natural gas sweetening methods and related systems

A method for recovering sulfur within a gas processing system is described herein. The method includes contacting a natural gas stream including an acid gas with a solvent stream within a co-current contacting system to produce a sweetened natural gas stream and a rich solvent stream including an absorbed acid gas. The method also includes removing the absorbed acid gas from the rich solvent stream within a regenerator to produce a concentrated acid gas stream and a lean solvent stream. The method further includes recovering elemental sulfur from hydrogen sulfide (HS) within the concentrated acid gas stream via a sulfur recovery unit.

Sulfur recovery within a gas processing system

A method for regenerating liquid desiccant is described herein. The method includes co-currently contacting a rich desiccant stream including water with a stripping gas within a co-current contacting system such that the stripping gas removes at least a portion of the water from the rich desiccant stream, producing a wet stripping gas and a lean desiccant stream. The method also includes removing the water from the wet stripping gas within a stripping gas separation system, regenerating the stripping gas, and recirculating the stripping gas to the co-current contacting system.

Compact regeneration of liquid desiccant

A co-current contacting system is described herein. The co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor located in-line within a pipe. The co-current contactor includes an annular support ring configured to maintain the co-current contactor within the pipe and a number of radial blades configured to allow a liquid stream to flow into the co-current contactor. The co-current contacts also includes a central gas entry cone configured to allow a gas stream to flow through a hollow section within the co-current contactor, wherein the co-current contactor provides for efficient incorporation of liquid droplets formed from the liquid stream into the gas stream. The co-current contacting system also includes a separation system configured to remove the liquid droplets from the gas stream.

Contacting a gas stream with a liquid stream

Systems and methods are provided for reducing maldistribution of liquids and vapors in packed towers. An exemplary separation system includes a separation tower including at least two packed beds, and a vapor redistribution plate disposed between two sequentially disposed packed beds, wherein the vapor redistribution plate is configured to mix a vapor from a lower packed bed before introducing the vapor into an upper packed bed.

Decreasing maldistribution in separation towers

Methods are provided for removing fine particles from crude oils extracted from mined oil sands using a non-aqueous extraction solvent. A bitumen derived from non-aqueous extraction of oil from oil sands can undergo optional physical separation to remove larger particles and then processed using electrostatic filtration to remove particle fines. This can allow for production of a bitumen product from a non-aqueous extraction process that has a sufficiently low particle content to be suitable for pipeline transport.

Electrostatic filtration of fine solids from bitumen

Provided are gas processing facilities for the separation of components in a gas stream and methods of using the same. The facility includes one or more co-current contactors. Each contactor includes a mass transfer vessel having a mixing section. The mixing section receives a gas stream and a liquid contacting stream. The mixing section mixes theses two streams and releases a two-phase flow. Each contactor also includes a separator that receives the two-phase fluid stream from the mass transfer vessel in-line, and then separates a vapor phase from a liquid phase. The separator has a gas-phase outlet configured to release the vapor phase as a treated gas stream, and a liquid-phase outlet configured to release the liquid phase as a loaded treating solution. The contactors may be used to remove water or other contaminant from a natural gas stream or other gas stream.

In-line device for gas-liquid contacting, and gas processing facility employing co-current contactors

Growing community of inventors

Montgomery, TX, United States of America

John Timothy Cullinane