Solubility of light hydrocarbons and their mixtures in pure water under high pressure

Abstract

New solubility data of methane, ethane, n-butane and their mixtures in pure water are obtained at 344.25 K, from 2.5 to 100 MPa. The results agree well with those of the literature in the case of pure hydrocarbons in water, but differ significantly for hydrocarbon mixtures. In contrast to the conclusion reached by Amirijafari and Campbell [B. Amirijafari, J. Campbell, Solubility of gaseous hydrocarbon mixtures in water, Soc. Pet. Eng. J. (1972) 21–27.], the experimental solubility data of methane–ethane mixtures shows an ideal solution behavior, while the solubility data of methane– n-butane mixtures shows a weaker non-ideality than that observed by McKetta and Katz [J.J. McKetta, D.L. Katz, Methane– n-butane–water system in two-and three-phase regions, Ind. Eng. Chem. 40 (1948) 853–863]. The pure hydrocarbon solubility data are satisfactorily correlated using the Soreide and Whitson modification [I. Soreide, C.H. Whitson, Peng–Robinson predictions for hydrocarbons, CO2, N2, and H2S with pure water and NaCl brine, Fluid Phase Equilib. 77 (1992) 217–240] of the Peng–Robinson equation of state.