Black & Veatch Holding Company

Black & Veatch Pritchard Inc.

Kevin L Currence

Robert A Mortko

Daniel G McCartney

Methods and systems for reducing the pressure of a hydrocarbon-containing stream so as to provide a cooled, reduced-pressure hydrocarbon-containing stream are provided. Facilities as described herein utilize a single closed-loop mixed refrigeration system in order to facilitate transportation, loading, and/or storage of a liquefied hydrocarbon-containing material at or near atmospheric pressure. In some aspects, the facilities can include at least one separation device for removing lighter components from the feed stream, which may separately be recovered as a vapor product for subsequent processing and/or use.

Systems and methods for hydrocarbon refrigeration with a mixed refrigerant cycle

Enhanced low temperature separation (LTS) processes are provided for separating light hydrocarbon components from heavy hydrocarbon components. The enhanced LTS process utilizes an absorber and a de-ethanizer tower to achieve sufficiently pure natural gas liquid (NGL) products and residue gas products. A portion of the de-ethanizer tower overhead is condensed and recycled as reflux for the absorber. The enhanced LTS process requires less refrigeration of the feed gas stream yet still achieves increased recovery of the valuable heavier hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon gas streams. The enhanced LTS process also reduces compression requirements compared to conventional LTS processes.

Enhanced low temperature separation process

An NGL recovery facility for separating ethane and heavier (C+) components from a hydrocarbon-containing feed gas stream that utilizes a single, closed-loop mixed refrigerant cycle. The vapor and liquid portions of the feed gas stream are isenthalpically flashed and the resulting expanded streams are introduced into the NGL recovery column. Optionally, a second vapor stream can be flashed and then introduced into the recovery column at the same or lower separation stage than the flashed liquid stream. As a result, the NGL recovery facility can optimize C+ recovery with compression costs.

NGL recovery from natural gas using a mixed refrigerant

An NGL recovery facility utilizing a single, closed-loop mixed refrigerant cycle for recovering a substantial portion of the Cand heavier or Cand heavier NGL components from the incoming gas stream. Less severe operating conditions, including a warmer refrigerant temperature and a lower feed gas pressure, contribute to a more economical and efficient NGL recovery system.

A process for separating a feed gas stream containing methane, C components, C components, and heavier components into a volatile gas stream containing a major portion of the methane and C components and a less volatile stream containing a major portion of the C and heavier components by adjusting the temperature and pressure of the feed gas stream and charging it to a separator/absorber where the gas stream is separated into a first gas stream containing a major portion of the methane and C components with a minor content of C and heavier components and a first liquid stream containing a major portion of the C and heavier components with a lesser concentration of C and lighter components with the first liquid stream being fractionated in a deethanizer into an overhead stream and a bottoms stream with the bottoms stream containing primarily C and heavier components with the overhead stream containing primarily C and lighter components being at least partially condensed and separated into a liquid reflux stream, a second liquid stream and a vaporous stream. The second liquid stream is passed to an upper portion of the separator/absorber for use therein to absorb C and heavier components from a gas stream in the separator/absorber.

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Olathe, KS, United States of America

Kevin L Currence