Integrated systems are provided for the production of higher hydrocarbon compositions, for example liquid hydrocarbon compositions, from methane using an oxidative coupling of methane system to convert methane to ethylene, followed by conversion of ethylene to selectable higher hydrocarbon products. Integrated systems and processes are provided that process methane through to these higher hydrocarbon products.

This method comprises cooling the feed natural gas in a first heat exchanger and introducing the cooled, feed natural gas into a first separation flask. It comprises the dynamic expansion of a turbine supply flow in a first expansion turbine and introducing the expanded flow into a separation column. This method comprises removing, at the head of the separation column, a head flow rich in methane and removing a first recirculation flow from the compressed head flow rich in methane. The method comprises forming at least a second recirculation flow obtained from the head flow rich in methane downstream of the separation column and forming a dynamic expansion flow from the second recirculation flow.

Described herein is a method of removing refrigerant from a natural gas liquefaction system in which vaporized mixed refrigerant is withdrawn from the closed-loop refrigeration circuit and introduced into a distillation column so as to be separated into an overhead vapor enriched in methane and a bottoms liquid enriched in heavier components. Overhead vapor is withdrawn from the distillation column to form a methane enriched stream that is removed from the liquefaction system, and bottoms liquid is reintroduced from the distillation column into the closed-loop refrigeration circuit. Also described are methods of altering the rate of production in a natural gas liquefaction system in which refrigerant is removed as described above, and a natural gas liquefaction systems in which such methods can be carried out.

A process and a related equipment for making ammonia make-up synthesis gas are disclosed, where: a hydrocarbon feedstock is reformed obtaining a raw ammonia make-up syngas stream; said raw syngas is purified in a cryogenic purification section refrigerated by a nitrogen-rich stream produced in an air separation unit; the nitrogen-rich stream at output of said cryogenic section is further used for adjusting the hydrogen/nitrogen ratio of the purified make-up syngas; an oxygen-rich stream is also produced in said air separation unit and is fed to the reforming section.

A simplified mixed refrigerant system for natural gas processing which eliminates the need for storing, mixing and adjusting the individual hydrocarbon components of the refrigerant thereby rendering what are normally complex systems more practical for the natural gas liquid recovery industry.

A set of process equipment for use in an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process comprises first piping, a dehydrator, second piping, and a natural gas liquids recovery column. The first piping is configured to receive a wet carbon dioxide recycle stream from a recovery well. The dehydrator is configured to receive the wet carbon dioxide stream from the first piping and configured to dehydrate the wet carbon dioxide recycle stream using ethylene glycol to produce a dry carbon dioxide recycle stream. The second piping is configured to receive the dry carbon dioxide recycle stream from the dehydrator. The natural gas liquids recovery column is configured to receive the dry carbon dioxide recycle stream from the second piping and configured to separate the dry carbon dioxide recycle stream into a carbon dioxide reinjection stream and a natural gas liquids stream.

Embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for operating a natural gas liquids plant in ethane rejection and in ethane recovery. A natural gas liquid plant may comprise an absorber configured to produce an ethane rich bottom stream and an ethane depleted vapor stream; a stripper fluidly coupled to the absorber configured to, during ethane rejection, fractionate the ethane rich bottom stream from the absorber into an ethane overhead product and a propane plus hydrocarbons product, and configured to, during ethane recovery, fractionate the ethane rich bottom stream into an ethane plus NGL stream and an overhead vapor stream; and an exchanger configured to, during ethane recovery, counter-currently contact the ethane rich bottom stream from the absorber with the ethane depleted vapor stream from the absorber, thereby heating the vapor stream and chilling the ethane rich bottom stream before the ethane rich bottom stream is fed to the stripper.

A process for recovering a noncondensable gas from a gaseous mixture, the method comprising the steps of: supplying a gaseous mixture comprising a noncondensable component; supplying a sweep gas comprising a condensable component; introducing the gaseous mixture and the sweep gas to a swept membrane stage to obtain a retentate stream and a mixed permeate stream, the mixed permeate stream comprising at least a portion of the condensable component and at least a portion of the noncondensable component; introducing the mixed permeate stream to a vapor-liquid separator and subjecting the mixed permeate stream to thermodynamic conditions sufficient to condense most of the condensable component into a liquid, and obtain a raw noncondensable component stream, wherein the raw noncondensable component stream is enriched in the noncondensable component; and introducing the raw noncondensable component to a concentration unit to obtain a noncondensable component product stream enriched in the noncondensable component.

A method for improved operation of a natural gas liquids stabilizer column, particularly a small-scale, is provided. The method can include the steps of: introducing a first feed stream comprising heavy hydrocarbons and natural gas to a stabilizer column to produce a top gas and a bottoms liquid, wherein the top gas has a higher concentration of natural gas as compared to the first feed stream, and the bottoms liquid has a higher concentration of heavy hydrocarbons as compared to the first feed stream; introducing a second feed stream into the stabilizer column, wherein the second feed stream has a higher concentration of natural gas as compared to the first feed stream, wherein the second feed stream is at a warmer temperature than the first feed stream when introduced into the stabilizer column, wherein the second feed stream is a gaseous stream; withdrawing the top gas from a top portion of the stabilizer column; withdrawing the bottoms liquid from a bottom portion of the stabilizer column; and sending at least a portion of the bottoms liquid to a liquid storage tank.

A LNG liquefaction plant includes a propane recovery unit including an inlet for a feed gas, a first outlet for a LPG, and a second outlet for an ethane-rich feed gas, an ethane recovery unit including an inlet coupled to the second outlet for the ethane-rich feed gas, a first outlet for an ethane liquid, and a second outlet for a methane-rich feed gas, and a LNG liquefaction unit including an inlet coupled to the second outlet for the methane-rich feed gas, a refrigerant to cool the methane-rich feed gas, and an outlet for a LNG. The LNG plant may also include a stripper, an absorber, and a separator configured to separate the feed gas into a stripper liquid and an absorber vapor. The stripper liquid can be converted to an overhead stream used as a reflux stream to the absorber.