Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company

Sean T Philbrook

Shwetha Ramkumar

P Scott Northrop

John Timothy Cullinane

Donald P Shatto

Kevin N Stanley

Priya Santhanam

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 co-axial co-current contactor (CA-CCC) is described herein. The CA-CCC includes an outer annular support ring and an inner annular support ring configured to maintain the CA-CCC within an outer pipe and an inner pipe, respectively. The CA-CCC includes rich liquid flow channels located between the outer annular support ring and the inner annular support ring that are configured to allow a rich liquid stream to flow through the CA-CCC, and a central gas entry cone and gas flow channels configured to allow a gas stream to flow through the CA-CCC. The CA-CCC further includes radial blades configured to secure the central gas entry cone to the inner annular support ring and allow a lean liquid stream to flow into the central gas entry cone and the gas flow channels. The CA-CCC provides for efficient incorporation of liquid droplets formed from the lean liquid stream into the gas stream.

Gas purification using a co-axial co-current contactor

A hydrogen sulfide (HS) scavenging system for removing HS, mercaptans, and/or other sulfur-containing compounds from a natural gas stream. A co-current contacting system is located in-line within a pipe and receives the natural gas stream and a liquid scavenger stream. The co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor including a droplet generator and a mass transfer section. The droplet generator generates droplets from the liquid scavenger stream and disperses the droplets into the natural gas stream. The mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. The liquid phase includes the liquid scavenger stream with HS, mercaptans, and/or other sulfur-containing compounds absorbed from the natural gas stream, and the vapor phase includes the natural gas stream. A separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase.

Compact contacting systems and methods for scavenging sulfur-containing compounds

A method for continuously treating a regeneration gas stream used to regenerate a molecular sieve adsorption vessel is disclosed. The regeneration gas stream is cooled in a cooler to a temperature suitable to condense liquids therein. A separator removes liquids condensed in the regeneration gas stream. The regeneration gas stream is compressed in a compressor. The regeneration gas stream is flowed through the cooler, the separator, and the compressor when the compressor is operational. The regeneration gas stream is flowed through the second cooler and the second separator but not the compressor when the compressor is not operational, thereby enabling continuous treatment of the regeneration gas stream.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Sean T Philbrook