Offshore Topside Rotating Packed Bed as Process Intensified Alternative for Natural Gas Sweetening and Dehydration
Adegboyega Bolu Ehinmowo *
Petroleum and Environmental Management, Coventry University, United Kingdom and Oil and Gas Engineering Centre, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, University Kingdom
Aliyu M. Aliyu
Oil and Gas Engineering Centre, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, University Kingdom and Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Technology Minna, P.M.B. 65, Niger State, Nigeria
Solomon O. Alagbe
Department of Chemical Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, P.M.B. 4000, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
Oyewole Adedipe
Offshore Renewable Energy Centre, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology Minna, P.M.B. 65, Niger State, Nigeria
Olufunke Olumi
Petroleum and Environmental Management, Coventry University, United Kingdom
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This work is aimed at investigating the benefits of replacing conventional process unit operations with process intensified ones in offshore applications. This ensures that better use is made of raw materials, lower energy consumption and a reduced plant volume was achieved. Specifically, a rotating packed bed technology has been used for gas dehydration and sweetening. To achieve the aim of this study, a process intensification approach is used to redesign mature absorption processes to more compact and efficient one. Process simulation using Aspen Hysys was carried out for Triethylene glycol dehydration and monoethanolamine sweetening. More than 36-fold absorption unit size reduction was achieved thereby effecting large decrease in capital and operating costs compared to the conventional packed columns currently utilized in the offshore oil and gas industry. The process intensified technologies therefore can be deployed for offshore applications where space and size considerations are of utmost importance.
Keywords: Process intensification, offshore oil and gas, absorption, gas sweetening