Hydrocarbon Processing - December 2021 - GP-18

SPECIAL FOCUS: PLANT DESIGN & PROCESS CONTROL
Global propylene production via propane dehydrogenation,
a process that utilizes propane as a feedstock, is projected to
grow 14%/yr to 25 MM metric t in 2025. The increase in propylene
production equates to a 5%/yr growth in propane demand,
which will result in high propane prices for the foreseeable
future in all U.S. regions. By 2025, global propane demand
will be approximately 6.4 MMbpd (FIG. 2), 37% of which will
be supplied by the U.S. Therefore, efficiently capturing as much
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
2015
Global propane demand
U.S. propane supply
high value propane as possible is critical for improved profitability
for U.S. gas processors in all basins.
Optimization through retrofits. Gas processors have started
retrofitting existing assets to further optimize operations. Retrofitting
a gas processing plant upgrades the existing design to
more advanced technology, which improves ethane and propane
recovery, operational flexibility, and increased plant capacity. A
retrofit can improve ethane rejection, ethane recovery or both.
In addition, a retrofit can increase the plant's capacity and energy
efficiency. Given the unpredictability of the oil industry, a
retrofit is a proven, high return method to increased profitability.
The best retrofit technology depends on the gas processor's
2016
2017
2018
2019 2020
2021
2022 2023
FIG. 2. Global propane demand (MMbpd), 2015-2025.
Source: IHS Markit.
2024 2025
feedstock, contracts, location and regional market conditions.
For example, the authors' retrofit technologies can increase
NGL recovery, reduce energy consumption, improve operating
flexibility and increase processing capacity. Typically, a retrofit
can recover nearly 100% propane and 99% percent ethane
when operating in ethane recovery. When in full ethane rejection,
more than 98% ethane can be left in the natural gas stream,
while recovering 99%, or more, propane. Furthermore, the
plant's capacity can often be increased above 120% of the original
plant design, depending on existing equipment limitations.
The required compression horsepower of the retrofit will vary
but, due to the focus on energy efficiency, retrofits can fit within
the existing compression limits of the plant.
Many of the authors' retrofit technologies are modular
designs that provide easy connection to existing gas processing
plants, minimizing the changes to the existing equipment
and on-site construction required during the installation. The
equipment that may be installed during a retrofit is highlighted
in FIG. 3. The efficiency of a modular design can reduce plant
downtime to less than 1 wk and allows the facility to recoup the
installation cost in a shorter period. Depending on the gas processor's
contracts and market conditions, some retrofits can be
paid off in less than 1 yr.
In the Permian Basin, Brazos Midstream is retrofitting two
d gas processing plants, each using the authors'
200-MMft3
company's proprietary gas processing technologya
TABLE 1. Retrofi t study results for a 300-MMft3
d
gas processing plant
FIG. 3. An example of a retrofit modification with new equipment
highlighted in orange.
Recovery
Ethane, mol%
Propane, mol%
Incremental ethane
production, bpd
Initial
design
71
98
Base
Lower CAPEX
retrofi t
90
100
8,000
TABLE 2. Results of a retrofi t project on an 80-MMft3
gas processing plant
Ethane recovery
Recovery
Ethane, mol%
Propane, mol%
FIG. 4. Brazos Midstream's 200-MMft3
Source: Brazos Midstream.
d gas processing facility.
18 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | GasProcessingNews.com
Power
requirements, hp
72
98
95
Higher CAPEX
retrofi t
97
100
10,900
d
Ethane rejection
Initial design Retrofi t Initial design Retrofi t
N/A
N/A
N/A
1
100
6,100
4,100
100
4,200
. These retVolume,
MMbpd
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Hydrocarbon Processing - December 2021

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