Simulation of CO2 removal from ethane with Sulfinol-M+AMP solvent instead of DEA solvent in the South Pars phases 9 and 10 gas processing facility

Abstract

Abstract Raw gas gathered from well production has to be treated to extract its ethane, to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from it and to dry it, so that the send-out ethane gas complies with transport constraints and meets sales-gas specifications. Two distinct families of solvents are used generically for such gas treatment: chemical and physical solvents. The South Pars gas field development phases 9 and 10 feeds gas and natural gas liquids into a processing and fractionation plant (one of the largest gas processing plants in Iran), and is associated with concentrations of 5.37% mole CO2 in the raw gas produced. Furthermore, there are potential problems associated with the CO2 treatment, such as the high-energy requirements for amine solvent regeneration, corrosion caused by aqueous amine solvents and waste/losses (solubility, vaporization) of the solvent used to remove CO2 in the ethane treatment unit. A feasibility simulation study was conducted to evaluate the utilization of Sulfinol-M + AMP solvent (Sulfolane plus Methyl di-ethanol amine plus 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) plus H2O) to replace the aqueous amine solvent (DEA) currently used in the ethane treatment unit of South Pars phases 9 and 10 gas processing plant. The simulation of the Sulfinol-M + AMP process demonstrates less energy consumption (11241.242 kw versus 11290.398 kw for DEA), negligible corrosion and lower losses of solvent (376.493 kg/h versus 409.2421 kg/h) relative to alternative solvents considered, because of its low vapor pressure.