Oil and Natural Gas

Webinar: A Novel and Self-Contained Cryogenic Turbo-based CO2 Removal Technology

Webinar: A Novel and Self-Contained Cryogenic Turbo-based CO2 Removal Technology
  • Date From 25th October 2021
  • Date To 25th October 2021
  • Price Free of charge, open to all.
  • Location Online: 18:00 MYT. Duration: 1.25 hours.

Overview

As all oil and gas fraternity is aware, the scarcity of sweet natural gas reserves is a major concern in most parts of the world, especially in the South China Sea region. In Malaysia, more than 13 Tscf of natural gas reserves remain undeveloped due to high carbon dioxide (CO2) content of up to 70 more % (Darman & Harun, 2006). Therefore, these high CO2/H2S fields will have to be developed to meet gas demand despite the technical and economic challenges and Malaysia being the major importer of LNG to Korea and Japan.

Consequently, Malaysia’s LNG now rests on sour gas challenge. Malaysia faces an urgent need to upgrade and expand its existing acid gas removal facilities to maintain capacity at the Petronas LNG Complex. Significant investments will be required to enable the liquefaction plant to handle larger volumes of feedstock with high levels of corrosive gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide.

The PETRONAS K5 Field (technology-driven project) is proving to be a tougher nut to crack. Discovered in 1970, K5 lies around 230 kilometers from Bintulu in a water depth of 80 meters and contains up to 70% CO2. The project is currently halted and shelved as the project was deemed to be uneconomical during the past 12 months of market uncertainty related to the coronavirus. The project is back to the drawing board and PETRONAS is seeking a more economical means of extracting the high CO2 natural gas.

Cryogenic technology has been identified to be the most suitable technology for offshore as it is capable to handle wide range of CO2 content. In fact, the efficiency and performance of this technology increases as the feed gas CO2 content increases as compared to other conventional technologies. The current cryogenic technology for CO2 removal in the industry has many limitations:

  1. high utility requirement
  2. valuable condensate is not recovered in the process.
  3. large footprint for offshore application.

The proposed innovative idea/solution for carbon capture is a self-sustainable/compact cryogenic system with high energy-saving features. The system incorporates micro turboexpanders (heart of the process) that eliminate condenser and reboiler requirements on the cryogenic column which in turn saves energy and reduces the footprint of the system. The system is capable to reduce the CO2 content down to 10-12 mole % with minimal methane losses to the bottom product (<1 mole %). The liquid CO2 from the bottom product cryogenic column is used as a cooling medium to cool the inlet gas to the cryogenic column through JT cooling using a JT valve whilst reduce the inlet gas cooling utility requirement. The condensate/Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) is recovered upstream of the cryogenic column (through a condensate recovery system) and can be spiked back to the oil production system or export gas pipeline for incremental gain which is otherwise sequestrated together with the CO2 liquid.

The primary focus is given to the accurate prediction of solid CO2 behavior using conventional and new generation EOS models. Based on the selected EOS model, a phase behavior study under cryogenic conditions has been conducted on a gas field containing CO2 levels up to 52 mole% in the wellstream. A process simulation model is developed based on Ryan Holmes and Controlled Freeze Zone. Various feed and process conditions were evaluated to determine the optimal removal of CO2 from the wellstream. The proper representation of the actual high CO2 gas reservoir VLSE phase behavior using the available EOS model is very important to avoid unnecessary facility problems for a cryogenic technology application. From this study, Cubic Plus Association (CPA) EOS model is recommended to be used for high CO2 fluid characterisation and simulation.

Speaker

Ts. Dhanaraj Turunawarasu, Senior Flow Assurance Engineer, Intecsea Sdn. Bhd.

Dhanaraj is a certified Chartered Chemical Engineer by IChemE and a certified Professional Technologist by the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT). He is currently attached to Intecsea (subsidiary of Worley) as a Senior Flow Assurance Consultant. He specialises in Dynamic Simulation and Wax Management Studies.

He has shown passion in R&D and managed to be one of the inventors for a process technology that recovers condensate from flare to reduce CO2 emission and enhance offshore oil production during his career in NGLTech as a Senior R&D/Process Engineer. He has assisted in the development of a new process scheme/patent with MEG (anti-freeze/hydrate inhibition agent. His R&D contribution has added significant value to the company which has led to a new technology award in the OTC Asia conference 2018 and highly commended for the Oil & Gas award at the 2018 IChemE Global Awards in London.

While he was in PETRONAS, his notable contributions were delivered in the face of various challenges, from working in a foreign country (Sudan Facilities Modification) and contributed to the success of flow assurance study in Mauritania resulting in significant saving (Hydrate Blockage issue) and in Turkmenistan (Asphaltene issue) as well as application of new technology (H2S Management Project, application of cryogenic technology for CO2 removal).

He has been an active contributor in conferences, forums, and training for PETRONAS. He has published a paper on “A Study on Phase Behavior and its Application to Cryogenic Technologies for Treatment of High CO2 Gas Fields” in the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) OnePetro and presented in Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Rio-De-Janeiro. He became a co-trainer for PVT & Equations of State Training for Process Engineers in PETRONAS and a university adjunct lecturer for Flow Assurance while in Wood Group. This has led to his recent certification as Oil & Gas trainer for Process Engineering and Flow Assurance by HRDF under the Ministry of Human Resources.

He has published five (5) international papers and one (1) patent in the field of phase behavior, carbon capture, flow assurance, waste management, and environment.

In 2016 and 2018, he has been nominated and recognized by IChemE as one of the top 4 finalists in the Young Chemical Engineer in Industry Award Category in Malaysia. He has continuously shown that with a good attitude and the right nurturing, Chemical Engineers have limitless potential.

The material presented in this webinar has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenters' own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Oil and Natural Gas Special Interest Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.  

Time

18:00—19:15 MYT.

Sponsors

IChemE gratefully acknowledges:

  • PETRONAS Group Technical Solutions (GTS) sponsorship of SONG evening talks
  • EAST One-Zero-One organizer of SONG evening talks

Get involved

Would you like to give a talk at a SONG event in Kuala Lumpur, or online to a wider audience of chemical engineers in the Asia Pacific region? We would like to hear from you. Please contact Avinash Ravendran with details about yourself and proposed a presentation.

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