Tank Gas Recovery System

This paper will focus on the implementation of Vapor Recovery Units (VRU\s) for
processing the associated gases produced in the storage tanks in the oil fields.
The first Vapor Recovery system installed in Libya was executed by Akakus Oil
Operations which was focused on flare reduction of Tank vapor/ gas by recovering the
condensate and diverting the remaining gas to the main plant compression system. The
Vapor Recovery Units design, and fabrication was awarded to Hy-bon Engineering, Inc. of
Midland, Texas. A company with 55 years experience in this field.
This oil was stabilized in three steps:
Production Separator at +/- 4 bara = +/- 58 psia
Degasser at +/-1.25 bara = +/- 18 psia
Surge Tank at 27 mbarg = +/- 0.4 psig
Stock Tank at 6 mbarg = +/- 0.1 psig
The gas from the storage and surge tanks was released to flare. The flared gas contains
significant amounts of hydrocarbon condensate in the gas phase. To recover the
condensate, Akakus installed three Vapor Recovery Units at NC-115. The VRUs maximize
condensate recovery by compressing and cooling The vapors. The recovered condensate
is then re-injected into the crude oil. The remaining gas will be used as fuel gas for on-site
electric power generation. The VRUs enable Akakus to generate revenue as well as
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The crude oil from the surge tanks has a low solution gas oil ratio of 17 scf/bbl. The low
gas-oil-ratio typically precludes a VRU from economic viability; however, the VRUs
objective is to recover the hydrocarbon condensate. The VRUs installed at NC-115 exhibit
the full function. The surge tanks operate at 0.4 psig. From the surge tanks the vapors
enter an inlet manifold prior to the VRUs. The VRUs will compress the vapors to 65 psig
and 220 F. To recover the condensate the vapors ar e subsequently cooled to 130 F.
Throughout the year this will result in significant condensate recovery.
The recovered condensate from the discharge scrubber is discharged via level control to
the condensate flash drum of the fuel gas compression system. In the condensate flash
drum any free water is separated off and the condensate is stabilized to the suction
pressure of the shipping pumps. The hydrocarbon phase of the condensate is spiked into
the crude oil.

This paper reports field results after VRU units have been started up and stabilized,
resulting in good business opportunities for other Akakus locations (as well as others
throughout Libya), due to the confirmation on production rates of the condensate. The
suppression of environmental issues and economical attractiveness of recovering
substantial volumes of condensate in the NC 115 should be considered an opportunity to
be evaluated in other fields operated by all Libyan oil producing companies.

The most cost effective technical solution for compressing the tank gas due to the
following:
1- Independent integrated system for condensate recovery.
2- Access gases can be boosted to the secondary compression system (this
allow 100% utilization of tank gases).

Dealing with extremely low pressure gases (0.2 to 0.3 psig) presents a unique set of
challenges in case multiple units are required to treat the tanks gas production.
VRUs are skid mounted packages with the following components:
Suction scrubber.
Compressor (screw type).
Gas/oil separator.
Heat exchanger.
Discharge scrubber.
Automated bypass and liquid transfer system.
Programmable PLC.

Each VRU package contains an oil flooded screw compressor, a discharge fin fan cooler,
scrubber, lube oil vessels and condensate pumps. Liquids obtained as a result of
compression and cooling are routed to the process (low-pressure condensates) and the
export line (high pressure condensates). Non-condensable compressed vapors are routed
back to the flare.
A total of five Vapor Recovery Units were purchased from Hy-bon Engineering Company.
The Hy-Bon units employ a LeROI oil flooded screw compressor that compress low
pressure tank vapors to 60 psig. Each compressor contains four poppet valves that allow
the control system to vary compressor throughput according to suction pressure conditions
The Vapor Recovery units were installed on two different locations NC115 and NC186 as
indicated bellow as part of the Gas Utilization Project Phase I, this phase has been
successfully commissioned and is in operation since beginning of year 2009.

Location

Processed
Tank Gas
MMSCFD

VRU Recovered
Condensate

NC-115

1200 blls/day@
60 psig

1750 blls /day @ 150 psig

NC-186

275 blls/day@ 60
psig

1121 blls/day @ 250 psig

Location

No of VRU

Pay back Period

NC-115

3 months

866 tons/day

NC-186

8 months

406 tons/day

Additional recovered
condensate

Co2 emission reduction

Produced Gas

Utilized Gas

Flared Gas

40.00
35.00

MMSCFD

30.00
25.00
20.00
15.00
10.00
5.00
0.00
1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Year

Benefits:
1) Gas: The gas captured by the VRUs is directed to the suction of booster
compressors that go to the turbines that generate electricity.
2) Condensate: Along with the gas being utilized the condensate is sent to the
flash drum at the front of the system to be blended back into the crude oil.
3) Pollution: Less pollution to the atmosphere is always a benefit to any
application. It is truly a waste to just burn these resources and pollute the planet
in which we live.
4) Goal: The goal is to eliminate these flares completely. They would only be used
in an upset situation. At that time all gas and condensate would be used for the
purpose of making Akakus Oil more money and help clean up the environment at
the same time.

5. ECONOMICS
Recovered Vapors
Heating Value
Wobbe Number
Volume

3080 Btu/ft3
2289 Btu/ft3
6.0 MMSCFD

1475 bbl/d

Condensate Production
Volume
Valuation
Savings per Month (gas at a conservative worldwide rate of $3 mscfd) - $1,600,000
Savings per year - $18,630,000
While not as easily estimable (due to spiking the condensate into the crude oil) it can be
determined that the produced volume of condensate adds another $2,655,000 per month
(based on a conservative $60/bbl rate) or $31,860,000 per year to the Akakus bottom line.