Flare gas recovery for natural gas processing and LPG NGL extraction from oil field gas

Flare gas recovery is a crucial process in reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency in industrial operations, particularly in oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and natural gas processing facilities. The process involves capturing and repurposing gases that would otherwise be flared, converting waste into valuable resources.

1）Compression – The raw flare gas is first pressurized using compressors to facilitate further processing.

2）Gas Treatment – The compressed gas undergoes purification to remove impurities such as:

• Sulfur compounds (H₂S) via desulfurization (e.g., amine scrubbing).
• CO₂ removal through acid gas treatment.
• Mercaptans (sulfur alcohols) elimination if necessary.
• Sulfur Recovery (if applicable) – If the gas contains significant sulfur, tail gas treatment processes like the Claus process or LO-CAT® technology are employed to recover elemental sulfur, minimizing environmental impact.
• Dehydration – The treated gas passes through a dehydration unit (e.g., glycol absorption or molecular sieves) to remove water vapor, preventing corrosion and meeting pipeline specifications.
• Heavy Hydrocarbon Fractionation (if needed) – For gases rich in heavier hydrocarbons, a fractionation unit separates components such as C3 (propane), C4 (butane), and C5+ (natural gasoline) for further utilization.

• Fed into the natural gas pipeline network for distribution.
• Liquefied into LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) or compressed into CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) for storage and transport.
• Used as fuel gas within the facility.

• Environmental Protection – Reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
• Economic Value – Converts waste gas into marketable products (e.g., pipeline gas, LNG, or sulfur).
• Regulatory Compliance – Helps industries meet stringent environmental regulations on flaring.

• Refineries & chemical plants
• Oil & gas upstream/midstream operations
• Landfill gas recovery

By implementing flare gas recovery systems, industries can achieve both sustainability goals and operational efficiency, turning a waste stream into a profitable resource.