Ethylene glycol elimination in amine loop for more efficient gas conditioning

The gas sweetening unit of phase 2 and 3 in South Pars Gas Field (Asalouyeh, Iran) was first simulated to investigate the effect of mono ethylene glycol (MEG) in the amine loop. MEG is commonly injected into the system to avoid hydrate formation while a few amounts of MEG is usually transferred to amine gas sweetening plant. This paper aims to address the points where MEG has negative effects on gas sweetening process and what the practical ways to reduce its effect are. The results showed that in the presence of 25% of MEG in amine loop, H₂S absorption from the sour gas was increased from 1.09 to 3.78 ppm. Also, the reboiler temperature of the regenerator (from 129 to 135 °C), amine degradation and required steam and consequently corrosion (1.10 to 17.20 mpy) were increased. The energy consumption and the amount of amine make-up increase with increasing MEG loading in amine loop. In addition, due to increasing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) and heavy hydrocarbon solubility in amine solution, foaming problems were observed. Furthermore, side effects of MEG presence in sulfur recovery unit (SRU) such as more transferring BTEX to SRU and catalyst deactivation were also investigated. The use of total and/or partial fresh MDEA, install insulation and coating on the area with the high potential of corrosion, optimization of operational parameters and reduction of MEG from the source were carried out to solve the problem. The simulated results were in good agreement with industrial findings. From the simulation, it was found that the problem issued by MEG has less effect when MEG concentration in lean amine loop was kept less than 15% (as such observed in the industrial plant). Furthermore, the allowable limit, source and effects of each contaminant in amine gas sweetening were illustrated.