A method for operating a natural gas liquids processing (NGL) system, the system being selectively configured in either an ethane rejection configuration or an ethane recovery configuration, the method comprising, when the NGL system is in the ethane rejection configuration, collecting a reboiler bottom stream that, in the ethane rejection configuration, includes ethane in an amount of less than 5% by volume, and when the NGL system is in the ethane recovery configuration, collecting a reboiler bottom stream that, in the ethane recovery configuration, includes ethane in an amount of at least about 30% by volume.

A method for cooling a hydrocarbon production stream such as natural gas uses cryogenic nitrogen as a cooling medium (refrigerant) wherein only a portion of a nitrogen refrigerant stream is recovered, with a vapor portion of the nitrogen refrigeration stream being vented from the system. Unlike a conventional sacrificial nitrogen refrigeration process which vents all the nitrogen refrigerant after cooling a production stream, the method comprise means for recovering some of the nitrogen refrigerant thereby improving the operating efficiency of the process compared to conventional sacrificial nitrogen refrigeration processes. Also unlike conventional closed loop nitrogen refrigeration processes which recover all of the nitrogen refrigerant after cooling a production stream, the method can recover nitrogen refrigerant without the complex and costly equipment used in closed loop systems to compress nitrogen vapor.

Methods and systems for dynamically planning a well site are provided herein. Methods include flowing a raw gas stream though a suction scrubber to form a feed gas stream and compressing the feed gas stream to form a compressed gas stream. Methods include cooling the compressed gas stream in a cooler to produce a cooled gas stream. Methods include feeding the cooled gas stream into a gas treatment system, using a turboexpander, to produce a conditioned gas and a waste stream. Methods include heating the conditioned gas in a heat exchanger, where the conditioned gas is a superheated, sweetened, gas. Methods also include burning the conditioned gas in a turbine generator and mixing the waste stream into the raw gas stream upstream of the suction scrubber.

A gas recovery system separates a mixed gas including a process gas and an inert gas. The gas recovery system includes a cooling section for cooling and liquefying the process gas contained in the mixed gas by cooling the mixed gas at a temperature higher than a condensation temperature of the inert gas and lower than a condensation temperature of the process gas, a separating section for separating the cooled mixed gas into the process gas in a liquid state and the inert gas in a gas state, and a process gas recovery line that is connected to the separating section which circulates and gasifies the liquid-state process gas and then supplies the process gas into the a compressor. The mixed gas is formed by mixing the process gas, which is compressed by the compressor, and the inert gas, which is supplied to a seal portion of the compressor.

A method for operating a natural gas liquids processing (NGL) system, the system being selectively configured in either an ethane rejection configuration or an ethane recovery configuration, the method comprising, when the NGL system is in the ethane rejection configuration, collecting a reboiler bottom stream that, in the ethane rejection configuration, includes ethane in an amount of less than 5% by volume, and when the NGL system is in the ethane recovery configuration, collecting a reboiler bottom stream that, in the ethane recovery configuration, includes ethane in an amount of at least about 30% by volume.

Processes and devices for recovering natural gas liquid from a hydrocarbon containing gas are provided by introduction of compressed air to a vortex tube. The vortex tube generates a cold air stream that is introduced into a heat exchanger. A hydrocarbon containing gas of higher temperature than the cold air stream is introduced into the heat exchanger, so that the cold air stream in the heat exchanger cools the hydrocarbon containing gas to condense natural gas vapors in the hydrocarbon containing gas to liquid hydrocarbons. In this manner, liquid hydrocarbons and dry hydrocarbon containing gas are obtained.

A process is described herein for removing high freeze point hydrocarbons, including benzene compounds, from a mixed feed gas stream. The process involves cooling process streams in one or more heat exchangers and separating condensed compounds in multiple separators to form a methane-rich product gas stream. Select solvent streams from a fractionation train and/or separate solvent streams are employed to lower the freeze point of one or more streams that contain high freeze point hydrocarbons. A corresponding system also is disclosed.

An expansion device having a passageway formed orderly by a tubular inlet portion, a tubular throat portion and a tubular outlet portion, with a closing element arranged in the throat portion, the closing element adapted to cause a Joule-Thomson expansion and cooling of an at least partially gaseous fluid that is supplied at a predetermined pressure (P.sub.1), where in the inlet portion a direction means is provided for directing the fluid according to a flow direction that is generally at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the inlet portion, in order to reduce the friction of the at least partially gaseous fluid when flowing through the throat portion at the closing element, in order to approximate the transformation to a reversible isentropic transformation more closely than what is possible with the known lamination valves.

Methods of butane delivery, methods for reducing VOC emissions resulting from such delivery, and methods for debutanizing nitrogen gas used to expel butane from butane storage tanks.

A self contained, trailer mounted condensation collection system for an oil and gas well. The system has a condenser for cooling and condensing those oil well gases that can be condensed and a separator for separating the condensed portion from the non-condensable portion of the gas stream so that the condensed gases can be recovered as liquid hydrocarbons. The system is powered by the gas pressure from the well and operates without any outside utilities so that it can be used at new well sites where infrastructure has not been built to support the well.