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RESEARCH ARTICLE OPEN ACCESS

Natural Gas Conditioning and Processing From Marginal Fields

Using Modular Technology in Nigeria
*Oriji A.Boniface and Ekpeti Egoyibo
Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Port Harcourt

ABSTRACT
Gas flaring in Nigeria is a major pollution concern for the environment and health of Nigerians. Burning of
natural gas brings about emitting of carbon monoxide into the environment as well as warm up the environment,
thereby contributing to the global warming scourge. The lack of processing this gas has also led to loss of
revenue in a sector where there is a likelihood of otherwise generating more revenue in the country. Gas
conditioning and processing in Nigeria has brought about certain level of solutions to the flaring of natural gas
in the country. This paper discusses a modular technology associated with the conditioning and processing of
natural gas that marginal fields can partake-in in Nigeria to monetize natural gas in the country using a typical
Nigeria natural gas plant located in Delta State as a cased study. There have been lots of discouragement in the
past about investing in associated gas produced during crude oil production, but the study on this particular gas
plant in Nigeria shows solutions to most of this problems. The gas plant LPG facility is a modular assembly of
process equipment linked with interconnecting pipework for scalability and ease of deployment. The design
took into consideration the specific composition of the associated gas produced during production of crude oil.
The traditional approach of piping gas from a remotely located oil field to a central processing facility can now
be put aside paving the way for a less than orthodox technique of “bringing the plant to the gas” whereby the
need for expensive pipeline will be eliminated by situating the facility adjacent to the oil flow station. The gas
plant gives a full technology of utilizing natural gas resources to meet the socio-economic needs of mankind
while preserving the environment not only for meeting present needs but for the needs of future generations.

I. INTRODUCTION has natural gas reserve of about 5.1 trillion cubic

Natural gas is the cleanest of all fossil meters (tcm). Nigeria as one of the largest gas-
fuels and simply the best choice for the flaring country in the world, by not fully harnessing
environment. Development of the natural gas its gas resources, tends to loss an estimated 18.2
industry has been very much influenced by the million U.S. dollars daily from gas flaring. The
physical characteristics of natural gas. Although numerous challenges associated with the
oil, being a liquid at ambient temperature, can be transportation of natural gas to processing plants
contained and transported relatively easily using has led to the high volume of gas still been flared in
simple and less-expensive technologies, natural gas Nigeria today. The health and environmental
is more complex and generally more expensive to challenges associated with gas flaring cannot be
process, store and transport because of its physical overemphasized. There is also a huge economic
nature. As a result of this, natural gas is either burnt loss when natural gas is been flared. According to
off, pumped back into the reservoir or wells are the World Bank report (2008), Nigeria loses up to
abandoned. It may seem expensive at the beginning 30.6 billion US Dollars annually due to gas flaring.
to go into production of natural gas, but it becomes Several technologies exist to harness the potential
more lucrative and beneficial in the long run, as of stranded gas field thereby converting this waste
regards the present volume of natural gas, impact gas to more productive use. Some of these
on the environment, infrastructures and source of solutions include using the gas to generate power,
energy it will produce. (www.wikipedia.com). re-injecting gas to recover more oil, shipping it to
Natural gas is the world’s third largest source of markets via pipelines, building of LPG (Liquefied
primary energy following coal and oil. Since the Petroleum Gas) plants, and converting these gases
early 1970s, world reserves of natural gas have to more useful and cleaner energy source for
been increasing steadily, at the rate of 5% per automobiles, generators etc. This paper is on a
annum. Similarly the number of countries with practical case study in which a technological
known reserves has also increased from around 40 solution harnesses the economic potential of a
in 1960 to about 102 today. In 2014, Nigeria was wasting resource as well as mitigating its negative
recorded to be the 9th country in the world with the impact on the environment. By utilizing local
largest proven gas reserves, and the largest in human and natural resources to synthesize products
Africa. According to the World Fact book, Nigeria of commercial value, this case study brings to fore

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the long-term potential of using today’s technology facing the Niger Delta (Shell and Chevron Staffs,
to address the issues of the past. The process 2010), but since natural gas was produced as a
described in this paper goes full cycle in utilizing byproduct of oil it was not possible to have one
an energy (natural gas) resource to meet the socio- without the other. Gas could not be re-injected into
economic needs of mankind while preserving the the oil reservoir because of the low technological
environment not only for meeting present needs but and industrial base for energy use in Nigeria. The
for the needs of future generations. The case study environmental impact has to some extent been
in question is centered around a gas processing and established through scientific evidence that shows
fractionating facility which takes raw associated temperatures at the sites as high as 1,100oC
input gas stream from an oil flow station located (Emoyan et al 2008), damaging vegetation growth,
within close proximity to the facility, strips the gas animal life and the ecological balance. Flare sites,
of its liquid content and converts the liquid ends to such as Ebubu, Bomu, Elenlewe, and Ibigho north
sellable downstream products while the resulting of the eastern Delta, recorded leaf temperatures
dry gas is available for power generation or as within 100 to 120 meters (m) of the stacks varying
feedstock to other petrochemical processes. The by up to 6 oC between the upper and lower surfaces
major aim of this particular gas plant in question is of the blades (Augustine & Sandford, 1976). Tests
to see that remotely located pocket of stranded gas conducted on the soil temperature at a depth of 10
which are usually abandoned because of the gas centimeters (cm) further showed it to be about
volumes, are taken through a process that sets 100oC higher at 15m from the stack, and between
about redefining the landscape of gas as a resource 500C at 50m. This affects the atmospheric
of value in Nigeria’s extractive industrial sector. conditions necessary for soil fertility and plant
Gas flaring should be abated and the gas converted growth. Soil temperature over 300C leads to
into useful products in order to protect lives of decreased agricultural yields, with the major impact
human beings, animals and plants in the already being desiccation and damage to the micro flora
abused ecosystem in Nigeria. And in doing so, (Bruower 1971 and Sandford 1974). Air quality
environmental issues due to gas flaring will be was also affected, with damage to vegetation, the
addressed, there will be growth in infrastructure microclimate surface and groundwater, as a result
and industries, the use of natural gas will reduce of the high concentration of volatile oxides, carbon,
our dependence on oil and increase our source of nitrogen, sulphur oxide and particulates that
energy, employment will be made available, and exceeded the standard set by FEPA (Federal
more revenue will be generated for the nation’s Environmental Protection Agency) in 1991. The
economy. pollution in the first oil producing community of
Oloibiri and others such as Imiringi , Otuasega, and
II. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Anyama of Ogbia Ijaw area have been a consistent
Niger Delta region in Nigeria is rated as health hazards to many local people, including
the most oil-impacted environment and polluted terminal diseases and birth defects (Ashton, 2001;
area in the world most especially by environmental Eweje,2006). Accusations levied against Shell-BP
experts from the UK, the USA and Nigeria. A and Chevron Nigeria by the Ijaw included disease
major contributor to this is the perennial flaring of and illness, hearing loss, and severe child delivery
associated gas during oil production, which has as a result of gas flaring and oil spills. On several
impacted on the natural and human environment, occasions, acidic precipitation was felt in the oil
making these areas a danger to local communities. producing areas, through the production of sour gas
Flaring which is a means of disposing of the waste that produced sulphur-oxide in the air (Aghalino,
gases that are a natural by-product of oil production 2009). Oral evidence has revealed that during the
during the processing of crude oil is highly flaring of gas the Ijaw people in that area did not
destructive to the local community and Niger Delta need electricity to see in the dark, that is to say that
environment, (as recognized by British Trade the “oil industry has banished darkness from the oil
Commissioner J.S. Sadler in 1963.) The Niger bearing enclaves of the Niger Delta” (Aghalino,
Delta region was found to be the second largest 2009). The oil companies took steps to reducing
flare site in the world, after Russia, with World the constant flaring of gas in their area of
Bank report showing that over 150 million cubic operations, and Shell (Interview with Anonymous
meters of natural gas were flared or vented Shells Staff 2010) claimed that some of their plants
annually in Nigeria. (World Bank 2008, World and equipment had been relocated far from the
Bank 2009). That the flaring of gas has affected villages as a measure to prevent future
undoubtedly continued to impact negatively on the light pollution. Nevertheless, for five decades the
vegetation in the oil-producing community of Ijaw communities of Batan, Odidi, Oloibiri, Nembe
Niger Delta. Shell BP and Chevron acknowledged and Aleibiri were denied bright sunlight during the
that gas flaring was the main ecological problem day and darkness at night. Some will attributes this

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to lack of compliance with the Gas-reinjection Act distribution of the hydrocarbons found in the gas.
of 1979 that mandated permission to flare or (Campbell John M. 1976).
reserve it for economic use. Gas flaring continued The construction of the gas processing
to light up the sky at night in many village plant commenced in August 2009, and began
communities in the Niger Delta region (NDDC, operation in December 2010. The plant is located
2001). The World Health Organization (WHO) in Kwale Axis, Ndokwa West L.G.A in Delta State
(2002) claimed that flaring of gas contributed on a Nigeria. The project was conceptualized and
global scale to about 2.5 million deaths each year, scoped to achieve the following primary objectives;
representing 4-5% of the 50-60 million global completely utilize the associated gas produced
deaths that occur in a year. The World Bank (2002) from the flow station in the same location, which
reported that gas flaring in the Niger Delta would eliminate gas flaring and environmental
contributed more to greenhouse gases than all other pollution in the region; Generate Electricity to run
oil producing countries in sub-Saharan Africa. the plant and supply the neighboring communities;
Energy lost through gas flaring was equal to over production of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG),
half of the power generation used in most African Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) and Propane which is a
thermal power stations. It is very clear that the direct input into the domestic consumption pool of
damage to the soil, climate and vegetation of the these products. Upon take-off, the plant was
local community environment by gas flaring designed to process up to 25MMSCF/day of gas,
affected livelihoods and brought health hazards to with room for expansion in the future. Presently the
the ordinary people. plant is being upgraded to 80MMSCFD of gas.
This has brought about plans for building a power
III. MODULAR TECHNOLOGY plant that will utilize the bulk volume of methane
PLANT from processing of its natural feed gas to generate
Gas conditioning is the pre-treatment of more electricity that will be tired into national
natural gas prior to injecting into a critical process power grid. The feed natural gas for the gas plant is
facility. It is the process necessary to transform gotten from the flow station in the same location.
contaminated natural gas produced from a gas well, The flow station presently has eight oil wells and
crude oil or condensate well into natural gas free of produce about 35MMSCFD, though they are
contaminants and ready for use or further working on drilling more wells and developing the
processing into other products. Generally, the type field. Associated natural gas from the flow station
of gas conditioning and processing operations is piped to the gas plant. The gas from the eight
recommended for any specific plant depends on the different wells which is channeled from the crude
kind of gas under consideration along with the oil separators of the flow station to the gas plant
facility has its natural gas composition given
below.

Table 1 Feed gas composition analysis

PROPERTY FEED COMPOSITION 2012 FEED COMPOSITION 2015
Sampling Pressure[Psia] 280 300
Sampling Temperature[0C] 25 25
COMPOSITION
COMPONENTS MOLE %
N2 0.46 0.27
CO2 2.04 1.26
C1 80.89 81.86
C2 8.92 7.76
C3 5.97 5.24
i-C4 0.85 1.26
n-C4 0.73 1.38
i-C5 0.09 0.40
n-C5 0.04 0.25
C6 0.01 0.16
C7 0.00 0.11
C8 0.05
Total 100 100

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Plant Processing Facility increase the pressure up to 700 psig and at an inlet
The gas plant has two major natural gas temperature of 1200F. The feed Gas is dehydrated
processing aspect. The first phase of natural gas by an absorption process using monoethylene
processing which the company began with is glycol. This is necessary to prevent the formation
processing of natural gas into Liquefied Petroleum of "hydrates" which may cause plugging of heat
Gas (LPG). The LPG processing plant is a exchanger tubes and downstream piping. Following
mechanical refrigeration type of plant. The choice dehydration of the feed gas, the feed stream is
of a mechanical refrigeration plant was made based further cooled to a very low temperature by
on the gas composition analysis of the field, exchanging heat with propane in the chiller to at
specifications of the product and economics of the least -290C before entering the low temperature
process. The LPG plant produces LPG as its major separator (LTS).This is to effectively separate sales
product, while propane, methane and NGLs gas and hydrocarbon liquids (condensate) from the
(Condensate) as by-products which also generates cooled feed gas. The injected ethylene glycol is
revenue. recovered at the bottom of the LTS, regenerated
The gas plant second phase of gas and recycled back to mix with fresh gas feed
processing which commenced late 2015 in a small entering the unit. The sales gas from the low
scale is getting to sell the methane CH4 from the temperature separator is compressed and injected
LPG processing as Compressed Natural Gas into a nearby natural gas pipeline or sold directly to
(CNG). an independent power producer. The condensate
after exchanging heat with the feed gas is delivered
Plant operating Process to the De-Ethanizer. The re-boiler at the De-
Till the late 1990s, it was not economical Ethanizer column uses hot oil as heating medium.
to install a stand-alone gas-to-liquids (GTL) The De-ethanizer overhead product is a methane-
extraction plant with feed gas rate less than 80 ethane mixture that is yielded as fuel gas for plant
MMSCFD in Nigeria, the gas must be extremely energy management. The bottom product from the
rich in recoverable natural gas liquids (NGL) for a De-ethanizer is a mixture of propane, butanes and
plant to be built. There also must be great pentanes plus. This is fed to the Depropanizer
assurance of not running out of gas supply for a gas where propane is taken out as the overhead
facility to be installed. But with the technology of product, and butanes, pentanes and heavies are
modular plants installation, installation has been passed out as the bottom product. Again the
made easy because of maximum portability and reboiler at the bottom of the De-propanizer uses hot
minimum installation cost. You have these modules oil as heating agent.
for different stages in gas conditioning and The de-butanizer overhead is a mixed
processing operations of natural gas. A modular LPG that is yielded to storage while, the stabilized
process skid is a process system contained within a Natural Gasoline product from the De-Butanizer
frame that allows the process system to be easily bottoms is yielded to storage after being cooled
transported. Individual skids can contain complete with an air cooler. The reboiler at the bottom of
process systems and multiple process systems or the debutanizer uses hot oil as well as a heating
entire portable plant. An example of a modular skid medium.
is a separation skid, having a separator as its
auxiliary equipment, and valves, pumps and other LPG Processing with this plant
equipment that makes up the skid. The separation Associated (wet) gas from the flow station
module addresses the separation of NGL in a gas comes into the plant in two separate lines, the low
processing facility. The overriding philosophy of pressure and high pressure lines. The low pressure
this modular plant is to make it simple to dismantle line gas is piped from the low pressure separator at
and relocate to other gas sources when existing gas the flow station while the high pressure line gas is
supply is depleted. from the high pressure separator. The piped gases
The raw natural gas from the flow station from the flow station passes through two phase
contains natural gas liquids that must be separated separators to knock out liquid molecules of crude
and impurities removed from the gas to make it that is carried over from the oil crude and gas
suitable for sale. The NGL is separated into its own separation at the flow station end by the gas. This is
various components by fractional distillation, and to ensure that the compressors are not fed with
impurities removed by special treatment, thereby liquid in other not to damage them.
making several saleable light hydrocarbons. In LPG extraction or processing from natural
addition, the off-gas from the produced sales gas gas is pretty much done from the NGL extracted
yield is used as utility gas and fuel within the plant. from natural gas processing. First contaminants
The raw natural gas from the flow station facility is which include hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide,
sent to the gas plant where it is compressed to water vapor, helium, and oxygen are being

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removed from the gas stream. Then methane CH4 is Gas Compression
being separated from the gas using cryogenic Gas flows into the high pressure (HP) and
processing or absorption method. Cryogenic low pressure (LP) compressors at different inlet
processing is more effective and majorly use pressures. Inlet gas pressure at the HP compressor
around the globe. Basically, cryogenic processing is about 280-320psi. The HP compressor has a
consists of lowering the temperature of the gas single stage compression which compresses and
stream to around -120 degrees Fahrenheit. The discharges the gas at about 950-1000psi. For the LP
drop in temperature condenses the hydrocarbons in compressor, suction pressure ranges from 50-75psi.
the gas stream, but methane CH4 remains in its The LP compressor has 3 stage of compression,
gaseous form. Absorption method, on the other and since the suction pressure is on the low side, it
hand, uses a “lean” absorbing oil to separate the gradually boosts it up to 950-1000psi. Discharge
methane from the NGLs. The extracted NGLs are gas from both compressors at the compressors skid
sent to a fractionating system where it is separated flows through a cooling system at the various
into a gas product, propane C3’s, butane C4’s and compressors before flowing in one line into the
NGL C5+. plant main process.

IV. RESULTS
Product yield and their economic value
Table 2- economic benefit from the plant
FEED/PRODUCT QTY QTY UNIT UNIT Total Total value
(MMSCFD) (MTD) PRICE ($) PRICE (N) value ($) (Nmillion)
@ N200/$1
DAILY DESIGN FEED
Natural Gas Feed 20 495.32 0.3/MSCF N60/MSCF 6000 1.2
from the flow Station
DAILY PRODUCTS YIELD AND REVENUE
SALES GAS 19.09 437.84 3.25/MSCF 650/MSCF 62,042.5 12.41
EXCESS PROPANE 0.3699 19.44 300.00/MT 60,000/MT 5832 1.166
MIXED LPG 0.4194 27.03 689.66/MT 137,931/MT 18,641.37 3.728
NATURAL 0.112 10.56 346.75/MT 69,350/MT 3,661.68 0.732
GASOLINE
TOTAL 90,177.55 18.036

V. CONCLUSION Generally, small footprint plant that is

The model adopted was basically bringing quick to deploy and easy to relocate like this gas
the plant to the gas and creating a ready market plant offers the most ideal solution for addressing
rather than the traditional or more conventional natural gas flared during production of crude oil in
approach of piping the gas to the plant (or market). the nation. It is expedient for the government and
This gives the required flexibility in accessing policy-makers in the oil industry make every effort
stranded gas of relatively small volumes in the to support and encourage projects such as this for
neighborhood of 5 – 20MMSCFD and making it the development of the nation. For increase in the
economically viable by utilizing modular portable use of natural gas can reduce our dependence on oil
plants that have quick deployment and relocation and increase our source of energy. Infrastructures
times. This provides a total consumption solution and employment will be made available, and
to associated gas production on the near term while generates more revenue for the nation’s economy.
providing a long-term benefit to rid the
environment of waste gas. REFERENCES
Investing and developing of natural gas [1]. Aghalino, S.O. (2009). "Gas Flaring,
market in Nigeria will go a long way in creating a Environmental Pollution and Abatement
healthy environment for the people, and huge Measures in Nigeria, 19692001", Journal
growth in the nation’s economy. Natural gas being of Sustainable Development in Africa, 11
the dominant hydrocarbon in volume, with a (4), pp. 219-238.
proven reserve of about 260 trillion cubic feet of [2]. Augustine, O. I and Sanford, W.W.
natural gas triples the nation's crude oil resources. (1976), "The effects of waste Gas Flare on
Therefore, investing in it by building of various the surface vegetations in South- Eastern
types of modular gas plants will bring so much Nigeria", Journal of Applied Ecology, 13,
development to the nation. p.173.

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ISSN : 2248-9622, Vol. 6, Issue 8, ( Part -5) August 2016, pp.40-46

[3]. Brouwer, R. (1971). "Nutritive Influences British Trade Commissioner in Lagos to

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plant," Netherland Journal of Agric the Foreign Office in London"
Science, 10, pp.361-76. Development of oil reservoir in West
[4]. Campbell John M. (1966-1998): Gas Africa.
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[5]. Campbell John M. (1966-1998): Gas (NDDC), Report 2001.
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[6]. Emoyan, O.O, Akpogorie, I.A, Acid Gas removal
Akporhonor, E. E. (2008). "The Oil and [12]. Sanford, W.W. (1974), "Effects of Gas
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Management, 12(3), pp.30- 31. [13]. World Bank Document. (2008). Republic
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Appendix
Simplified Process Flow Diagram Of Gas Processing Plant

Figure 1 - Main Process diagram for the Gas plant

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Table 3 Equipment codes/names for figure 1

S/N EQUIPMENT CODES EQUIPMENT NAMES
1 A800/810 Overhead Condenser/Product Cooler
2 A-850 De-Butanizer Overhead Condenser
3 A-850A De-Butanizer Product Cooler
4 E-400 Warm Gas/Gas Heat Exchanger
5 E-410 Gas/Liquid Heat Exchanger
6 E-420 Cold Gas/Gas Heat Exchanger
7 E-430 Chiller
8 E-440 Trim Cooler
9 E-450 De-Ethanizer Reboiler
10 E-460 De-Propanizer Reboiler
11 E-622 De-Butanizer Reboiler
12 P-310A/B De-Propanizer Reflux Pumps
13 P-626 A/B De-Butanizer Reflux Pumps
14 T-600 De-Ethanizer Tower
15 T--610 De-Propanizer Tower
16 T-620 De-Butanizer Tower
17 V-110 Low Temperature Separator
18 V-120 De-Propanizer Reflux Drum
19 V-624 De-Butanizer Reflux Drum

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