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Acid Gas Absorption Process

United States Patent No. 5,340,382

Patent Granted to Thomas L. Beard, P.E., August 23,1994

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Acid Gas Absorption Process ("Process") is to eliminate atmospheric emissions thereby simplifying the permitting procedure and providing a safe, economical, and simple method of acid gas disposal.

SIMPLIFIED FLOW SHEET

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Amine plant acid gas is composed of primarily carbon dioxide (CO2) and/or hydrogen sulfide (H2S).  This Process simply absorbs amine plant acid gas into water for direct injection into a water disposal well.  The water may be either fresh or produced water, and it may contain H2S before it is mixed  with the acid gas.   The amount of water required will, of course, depend on the quantity of acid gas and the quality of the water available.  The Process pressure is less than 100 psig.   The distance between the Process and the injection well is limited by the piping system pressure drop.  As long as the solution pressure is maintained 10 psi greater then the Process pressure, the acid gas will not flash out of solution and the solution may flow as far as necessary to reach the injection pump.  The injection pump may be either a positive displacement or centrifugal type.

ADVANTAGES

Major advantages of the Process include the following:

1.  There are effectively no atmospheric emissions.

2.  Large cost savings will result by eliminating a sulfur recovery plant.

3.  State permitting should be simple and more straight forward because conflicts over permit conditions will be minimized.

4.  By removing the requirement for Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting for SO2 emissions, the start-up of a plant can be improved   by 12-24 months, and the high cost of PSD permitting can be eliminated.

5.  It provides the ability to expand a facility that is currently in a non-attainment area for SO2.

6.  There is no need to a operate a high pressure acid gas injection compressor to inject acid gas directly into a disposal well.  A process facility  designed to handle about 200 MSCFD of acid gas might cost about $300,000 including the licensing fee.  While a sulfur plant designed to handle the same volume of acid gas might cost $2,000,000.

7.    It is a safe and efficient method of acid gas disposal.

The capital cost of a Process facility is so low relative to a sulfur plant that a 100% stand-by Process facility can be installed to ensure continuous on-stream operation.  Additionally, in some cases the cost to operate a sulfur may be higher than the operating cost of the Process.

DEVELOPMENT

The Process was tested in a pilot plant.  Volumes during the testing were as big as 25 MSCFD of acid gas and 2700 B/D (80 gpm) of produced water.   The water was saturated with H2S at atmospheric conditions prior to mixing with the acid gas.  The acid gas concentration was about 40% CO2 and 60% H2S.

CONCLUSION

Successful operation of the Process depends on a constant and sufficient supply of water and is especially useful at locations where large amounts of produced water require disposal. 

The Process significantly simplifies air permitting for both new source construction and modifications to current facilities.

The simplicity of the Process makes this a very practical method to dispose of acid gas.

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