Natural Gas

General Objectives:

To provide a comprehensive review of the techniques involved in natural gas production, processing and transport, complemented with a picture of natural gas valorization channels.

Specific Objectives:

At the end of training the trainees will be able to:

• Learn about fundamentals of natural gas composition, production and field processing;
• Comprehend technical issues and specific constraints of natural gas transport and storage;
• Review the various end-user markets available for valorizing natural gas;
• Grasp key natural gas chain economic issues.

CONTEÚDOS

CONTENTS:

Module I – Natural gas: types and production techniques

• Types and characteristics of natural gas fields – Production techniques;
• Different types of natural gas (condensate, wet or dry gas) and characterization parameters;
• Constitution of natural gas well effluent, properties and specific hazards.
• Case of associated gases: recovery techniques, characteristics, composition.

Module II – End uses of natural gas – Main quality requirements

• End uses of natural gases: fuel (domestic and industrial uses), conversion into other energy types (electricity production and cogeneration), automotive fuel (natural gas for vehicles – NGV and conversion into liquid automotive fuels GTL), chemical valorization;
• Quality requirements for commercial natural gases and associated products (ethane, LPG, condensates) – Examples of quality standards.

Module III – Natural gas processing

• Gas dehydration (drying) and hydrate formation inhibition;
• System behavior – Moisture content of a saturated gas;
• Applications: moisture content of different gases of various compositions;
• Hydrate formation inhibition by injection of inhibitors: MeOH, MEG, DEG, LDHI;
• Gas dehydration: TEG units, molecular sieves;
• Application: summary design of TEG unit;
• Gas sweetening: removal of acid components (H2S and/or CO2);
• Different techniques applicable for gas sweetening;
• Chemical solvent processes – Amine units (MEA, DEA, DGA, MDEA…);
• Physical solvent processes;
• Hybrid (physic-chemical) solvent processes;
• Overview of other techniques;
• Conversion of H2S: sulfur production (CLAUS process) and tail gas processing;
• Application: summary design of an amine unit;
• Natural gas Liquids (NGL) extraction (removal of heavy components);
• External refrigeration loop;
• Joule-Thomson expansion;
• Turbo-expander;
• Application: calculation of cryogenic loop used for NGL extraction;
• Examples of gas field development schemes;
• Gas fields development options: onshore or offshore processing, single phase or multiphase export pipes (sea lines), “wet” or “dry” development;
• Other treatments: mercury removal, conversion or adsorption of mercaptans (RSH).

Module IV – Transport of natural gas in liquid phase – LNG option

• Liquefaction processes: principle, typical operating conditions, technology.
• LNG tanks: Single or double or full containment (self standing, membrane) – Hazards;
• LNG transport: LNG carriers (MOSS spheres, membrane…), export and receiving terminals;
• LNG regasification at the receiving terminals, options for refrigeration duty recovery.

Module V – Transport and storage of natural gas in gas phase

• Gas pipes: technology, capacities, equipment, recompression units, operating conditions;
• Underground storage (old reservoirs, aquifers, salt domes…) – Required treatments at outlet.

Module VI – Natural gas economics

• Resources, production and markets;
• Natural gas marketing: competition of other energy sources and consequences on gas contracts (prices and duration), cost of transport and its impact on the structure of the gas chain;
• Future of the Natural gas.