Maximizing Recoveries of Hydrocarbons
LPG Recovery and Fractionation
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a natural gas liquid, composed predominantly of propane (C3), butane (C4), or a mixture of the two. LPG is increasingly popular for a variety of applications, including heating homes, cooking, used as an alternative fuel for vehicles with combustion engines, or as a chemical feedstock. The gases that make up LPG are processed during the refining of raw natural gas and crude oil.
Enerflex engineers, designs, and manufactures LPG plants using C3 refrigeration with optional turbo-expanders to recover and separate propane, butane, and isobutane.
Fractionation is the first stage in separating LPG into propane, n-butane, and isobutane. The LPG, once in liquid form, is stored in tanks or cylinders for transport.
NGL Recovery and Fractionation
NGL recovery can be a single- or multi-staged process, depending on the technology used; fractionation is multi-stage. Both, however, are designed to separate ethane (C2), propane (C3), butane (C4), and condensates (C5+) from natural gas liquids.
Enerflex builds efficient, safe, and high-capacity fractionation systems with outputs up to 40,000 BBL/D and above.
Modular Installation Simplifies Localized Fractionation
Enerflex’s modularized approach can be used for each tower (demethanizer, deethanizer, depropanizer, and debutanizer) to capture ethane, propane, butane, and condensate. The design connects with a single sales pipeline, or a separate transport mode such as dedicated pipelines and terminals for rail and truck.
Localized, Distributed High Capacity Midstream Customization
Enerflex’s systems are customized for raw-mix feed conditions and end products, utilizing configurations. Further separation is possible for natural gasoline from mixed natural gas. If space is limited, Enerflex’s modules can be stacked up to three high with onsite capacity to trial-fit and test prior to shipping.
Enerflex Modular Solutions Increase Netbacks
- Each system is calibrated to its unique raw gas stream make-up and desired output metrics, based on our global experience of extraction technologies.
- Modularized designs, a core Enerflex advantage, makes onsite installation easier, while saving time and money.
- All Enerflex systems are designed and fabricated in-house, enabling customization at significantly lower costs.
Enerflex in Action
- Taranaki, New Zealand
26 MMSCFD and 10 MTPA LPG Processing Facility
Enerflex engineered and designed an integrated LPG processing facility, which included a molecular sieve package, refrigeration unit, deethanizer, debutanizer, overhead gas compressor, feed gas compressor, sales gas compressor, and hot oil unit. Enerflex manufactured these modules in packages small enough to fit standard sea containers to minimize shipping costs. Using an advanced process engineering design unique to Enerflex, the facility achieves extremely high recovery of liquids from the gas stream.
Outcome
From the project award, equipment was manufactured, shipped, and commissioned within 10 months. This multi-million dollar project to extract natural gas liquids, including propane (LPG) from locally produced natural gas, demonstrates Enerflex’s ability to leverage its North American capabilities globally.
- Palembang, Indonesia
Deep Cut Turbo-Expander LPG Processing Facility
Enerflex was awarded the contract for the expansion of an LPG brownfield plant originally completed by Enerflex in 2006. The target for the new plant was to increase LPG recovery to 94%, while increasing production to approximately 191 MT/D. The facility separates propane, butane, and condensate from liquids-rich gas produced locally, then processes the propane and butane into petrochemical and consumer-grade LPG.
Outcome
The facility successfully increased the proportion of liquids recovered from the gas stream from 60% to 95%. Enerflex Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta provided the engineering and commissioning services, while the equipment was manufactured from our Canadian facility.