Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

Gas processing methodology for high efficiency recovery of propane and/or ethane from a natural gas feed stream. The method is conducted without turboexpansion, and in some embodiments, without the use of a refrigeration system. A natural gas stream is processed to have gas and liquid portions. The gas portions are cooled and flow to a refluxed absorber column and the liquid portions flow to a lower pressure distillation column. Bottoms of the absorber column are depressurized into a separator, with the separator overhead vapor being used as a source of absorber column reflux. The separator liquids are fed into the lower pressure distillation column and the distillation column overhead vapor stream is used to cool the feed and/or reflux streams. The overhead vapour stream from the lower pressure distillation can be recycled to the absorber, either as a recycle or a source of reflux.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim