ABSTRACT
This chapter gives a broad overview of the major processes found in field operations and gas processing plants. This helps readers understand the role of each processing step and why they are in a given sequence. It also briefly discusses the important utilities needed to make the gas plant operate smoothly and safely. These include power, heating and cooling systems, instrument air, vapor recovery systems, fuel gas systems as well as control and flare systems. The chapter discusses typical contractual agreements between gas processors and gas producers, which can be complex. The chapter concludes with a discussion of important operational measures including shrinkage, asset Btu efficiency, and frac spread. Frac spread is used to determine the optimal amount of ethane that should be removed from the gas (ethane rejection) based upon current value of ethane remaining in the residue sales gas as opposed to being sold as a liquid product.
