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CHE252
INDUSTRIAL PROCESS
Exploration
Oil & gas accumulate undergrd if the following
geological conditions are met:
- presence of reservoir rock containing
interconnected pores eg. Sands and sandstones
or limestones
- presence of cap rock eg. Clays, anydrite, salt or
shales
- presence of a trap ie. Geometrical configuration
of rocks and seal that prevents lateral escape
Exploration methods
1. Gravimetric
- Measuring slight variations in force of
gravity at surface influenced in
magnitude & direction by distribution of
rock of diff density underlying the area
- Gravity surveys carried out by air n
particularly useful for locating salt
structures
2. Magnetic
- Measuring variations in intensity of
earths magnetic field
- Method give indication of presence n
thickness of sedimentary formation since
sedimentary rocks are non magnetic
while igneous & metamorphic rocks are
magnetic
3.
-
Seismic
Most important & expensive
Works on principle of low frequency sound waves
generated from sources on or just below the land or
water surface being reflected & refracted as they pass
thru rock layers & measuring time taken for sound
waves to travel back to surface
Returning sound waves pick by geophones on land
surface or hydrophones in water converted to electric
signals & stored on magnetic tape for digital computer
processing
Despite all the latest tech. available, only way to
confirm whether structure contain oil or gas is to drill a
well
In addition, drilling provides more information on
further exploration and future field development plan
Drilling
- Techniques same whether on land or sea
- Penetration of subsurface achieved by a
steel, tungsten carbide or diamond bit
attached to screw-jointed pipes, rotated at
surface
Mercury Removal
- Allowable limit: 0.1 g/Nm3
- Reason: to prevent corrosion of pipework and
equipment made of aluminium or alloys
- Achieved by passing feed gas thru sulphur
impregnated carbon, whereby Hg reacts
(chemisorption) wt sulphur to form stable
mercuric sulphide or adsorption onto
macroporous alumina
- Adsorbents not regenerable, disposal of spent
chemical which contain certain %tage Hg has to
be controlled for safety and environmental
reasons
Dehydration
Fractionation
- Involved a series of DCs: de-methanizer, deethanizer, de-propanizer, de-butanizer
- Each stripping out one component from its top
end
- Bottom stream of each column fed to the next so
that fr last column flows pentanes & heavier HCs
known as gasoline or NGL
- Streams of C2, C3 and C4 from tops of columns
are either reinjected into liquefaction unit
Liquefaction
- 3 main processes:
a. pure refrigerant cascade process
b. mixed refrigerant process
c. combination of both ie. the pre-cooled
mixed refrigerant process
- Operates similar to refrigerator at home