ABSTRACT
Raw natural gas produced from wells may be composed of hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide nitrogen, water, and other impurities. Natural gas in its raw state cannot be utilized by consumers and therefore needs to be processed into lean gas before it can be purchased and utilized. The gas processing plant produces and treats (product) gas by removing the acid gases, heavy hydrocarbons, nitrogen, water, and other impurities to acceptable levels that are compatible with the pipeline design and the customer’s specification.
Off-specification natural gas may cause operational problems associated with pipeline corrosion and/or plugging, which may result in unsafe operation. Product type and quality will affect operating conditions as well as design requirements. Waxy oils, for example, will require facilities for regular on-line pigging to maintain the flow capacity.
This chapter outlines the gas quality specification and how to adjust the quality of a gas that does not meet the specified gas quality regulation or specifications.
