Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company

Paul Scott Northrop

Harry William Deckman

Bruce T Kelley

Ronald Richard Chance

Edward William Corcoran, Jr

Eugene R Thomas

Frank Hershkowitz

Jaime A Valencia

Charles John Mart

Sebastian Carmen Reyes

Gregory J DeMartin

Kevin A Harnsberry

Charles J Mart

Narasimhan Sundaram

Peter I Ravikovitch

Edward J Grave

John Timothy Cullinane

Wieslaw J Roth

Preeti Kamakoti

Edward W Corcoran

Peter C Rasmussen

Martin N Webster

J Tim Cullinane

Paul Lawrence Tanaka

Vikram Singh

Paul W Sibal

James T Wilkins

John Tim Cullinane

Robbin Bruce Anderson

Wieslaw Roth

Gregory J Demartin

Edward L Kimble

Harry W Deckman

Solvent mixtures for downhole elemental sulfur removal and formation stimulation, and methods for utilizing such solvent mixtures, are described herein. One method includes providing a solvent mixture that includes an elemental sulfur solvent fraction and an odorant fraction that includes a lactate ester solvent. The method also includes injecting the solvent mixture into a hydrocarbon well such that the elemental sulfur solvent fraction of the solvent mixture dissolves elemental sulfur deposited on well components, and contacting the solvent mixture with water such that the lactate ester solvent within the odorant fraction reacts with the water to generate lactic acid. The method further includes stimulating a formation through which the hydrocarbon well extends by flowing the solvent mixture including the lactic acid through the hydrocarbon well and into the formation.

Solvent mixtures for downhole elemental sulfur removal and formation stimulation

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

Systems and methods for separating COand HS from a natural gas stream are provided herein. The system includes a first loop of co-current contacting systems configured to remove HS and COfrom a natural gas stream and a second loop of co-current contacting systems configured to remove the HS from the CO.

Separating carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from a natural gas stream using co-current contacting systems

A system for removing acid gases from a raw gas stream is provided. The system includes a cryogenic distillation tower. The cryogenic distillation tower has a controlled freezing zone that receives a cold liquid spray comprised primarily of methane. The tower receives and then separates the raw gas stream into an overhead methane gas stream and a substantially solid material comprised on carbon dioxide. The system includes a collector tray below the controlled freezing zone. The collector tray receives the substantially solid material as it is precipitated in the controlled freezing zone. The system also has a filter. The filter receives the substantially solid material and then separates it into a solid material comprised primarily of carbon dioxide, and a liquid material comprising methane. The solid material may be warmed as a liquid and sold, while the liquid material is returned to the cryogenic distillation tower.

Cryogenic system for removing acid gases from a hydrocarbon gas stream

The present disclosure provides a method for separating a feed stream in a distillation tower which includes separating a feed stream in a stripper section into an enriched contaminant bottom liquid stream and a freezing zone vapor stream; contacting the freezing zone vapor stream in the controlled freeze zone section with a freezing zone liquid stream at a temperature and pressure at which a solid and a hydrocarbon-enriched vapor stream form; directly applying heat to a controlled freeze zone wall of the controlled freeze zone section with a heating mechanism coupled to at least one of a controlled freeze zone internal surface of the controlled freeze zone wall and a controlled freeze zone external surface of the controlled freeze zone wall; and at least one of destabilizing and preventing adhesion of the solid to the controlled freeze zone wall with the heating mechanism.

Method and device for separating hydrocarbons and contaminants with a heating mechanism to destabilize and/or prevent adhesion of solids

The present disclosure provides a method for preventing accumulation of solids in a distillation tower. The method includes introducing a feed stream into a controlled freeze zone section of a distillation tower; forming solids in the controlled freeze zone section from the feed stream; discontinuously injecting a first freeze-inhibitor solution into the controlled freeze zone section toward a location in the controlled freeze zone section that accumulates the solids; and destabilizing accumulation of the solids from the location with the first freeze-inhibitor solution.

Method and system for preventing accumulation of solids in a distillation tower

A system for removing acid gases from a raw gas stream is provided. The system includes a cryogenic distillation column. The cryogenic distillation column receives a dehydrated and chilled sour gas stream, and separates the sour gas stream into an overhead gas stream comprised primarily of methane, and a bottom acid gas stream comprised primarily of carbon dioxide. The system also includes a series of co-current contactors. The co-current contactors may be placed in series to receive the bottom acid gas stream and recapture any entrained methane gas. Alternatively or in addition, the co-current contactors may be placed in series to receive the overhead gas stream, and sweeten it using a reflux liquid such as methane. In this instance, the sweetened gas is optionally liquefied and delivered for commercial sale, or is used as fuel gas on-site.

Cryogenic systems for removing acid gases from a hydrocarbon gas stream using co-current separation devices

The present disclosure provides a method of dehydrating a feed stream processed in a distillation tower. The method may include (a) introducing a feed stream comprising a first contaminant stream into a distillation tower; (b) forming a solid from the feed stream in a controlled freeze zone section of the distillation tower; (c) feeding a second contaminant stream into the feed stream outside the distillation tower; and (d) removing water from the feed stream with a second contaminant stream by feeding the second contaminant stream.

Method and system of dehydrating a feed stream processed in a distillation tower

The present disclosure provides a method of separating a feed stream in a distillation tower. The method includes maintaining a controlled freeze zone section in a distillation tower; maintaining a melt tray assembly within the controlled freeze zone section that operates at a temperature and pressure at which solid melts; forming solids in a controlled freeze zone section; raising a liquid level of a liquid in the melt tray assembly when the solids accumulate on a mechanical component in the controlled freeze zone section; raising a liquid temperature of the liquid while raising the liquid level; and lowering the liquid level after at least one of (a) a predetermined time period has passed and (b) an alternative temperature of the mechanical component is within an expected temperature range of a baseline temperature of the mechanical component.

Method of removing solids by modifying a liquid level in a distillation tower

A system for removing acid gases from a raw gas stream the system includes a cryogenic distillation tower. The tower receives and separates the raw gas stream into an overhead methane stream and a bottom liquefied acid gas stream. Refrigeration equipment downstream of the cryogenic distillation tower cools the overhead methane stream and returns a portion of the overhead methane stream to the cryogenic distillation tower as liquid reflux. The system also may include a first molecular sieve bed upstream of the distillation tower and a second molecular sieve bed downstream of the distillation tower. The first molecular sieve bed adsorbs water while the second molecular sieve bed adsorbs additional acid gases from the cooled overhead methane stream.

Cryogenic system for removing acid gases from a hydrocarbon gas stream, and method of removing acid gases

A gas processing facility and method for processing a hydrocarbon gas stream comprising sulfurous components and carbon dioxide. The gas processing facility includes an acid gas removal facility for separating the hydrocarbon gas stream into (i) a sweetened gas stream, and (ii) an acid gas stream comprised primarily of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. The gas processing facility also includes a Claus sulfur recovery unit that generates a tail gas, and a tail gas treating unit for receiving the tail gas. In various embodiments, the gas processing facility and method capture COfrom the tail gas and injects it under pressure into a subsurface reservoir.

[object Object]

The present application is directed to a method and system for preparing gaseous utility streams from gaseous process streams, particularly, removing oil contamination from such streams prior to use in a dry gas seal. The methods and systems may include at least one kinetic swing adsorption process including pressure swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, calcination, and inert purge processes to treat gaseous streams for use in dry gas seals of rotating equipment such as compressors, turbines and pumps and other utilities. The adsorbent materials used include a high surface area solid structured microporous and mesoporous materials.

Method and apparatus for removal of oil from utility gas stream

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.

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Spring, TX, United States of America

Paul Scott Northrop