Glycol Regeneration for Oil and Gas

Glycol Recovery

Our Capability in glycol (MEG) regeneration

• We can take MEG with up to ~15% w/w salt and ~65% water.
• We can process tens of thousands of MT/annum.
• Typically, we recover “salt-free” MEG with 10-20% water.
• We are also capable of producing down to 1% water, if required.
• MEG losses are low.

Take advantage of what Chemoxy offer

• Over 25 years of experience in MEG regeneration for the Oil & Gas sector.
• The largest on-shore desalination system in Europe.
• Proprietary process technology.
• A high yielding process.
• High throughput process.
• Multi-site facilities.
• FPAL registration.
• Flexibility in its offerings due to multiple plants.
• A total service offering:
  • Logistics.
  • Storage.
  • Waste disposal.
  • Fresh MEG supply offering.
  • A developing additive offering in Kinetic Hydrate Inhibitors and Anti Agglomerates using proprietary technology and materials.

Our plants have their own rich and lean storage tanks and we have bulk storage tanks for holding large volumes awaiting processing or collection by customers. This gives both our customers flexibility of delivery and pick up of streams to keep the efficiency of the supply chain high.

Background:

Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) is used regularly in the oil and gas industry to prevent the formation of hydrates and resulting blockages in pipelines and equipment. Hydrate formation becomes more frequent at low temperatures and high pressures, making subsea pipelines particularly vulnerable to hydrate formation (where sea bed temperatures often ranges between 4-10°C). Hydrates are a physical combination of water and other small molecules (e.g. low molecular weight hydrocarbons, methane, ethane, propane, CO₂, N₂, H₂S). These mixtures form solid materials having “ice-like” appearance (see above photograph), but different structure and properties to ice. For example, hydrates in gas systems containing high concentrations of H₂S can form at temperatures exceeding 90^oF. The graph below shows the conditions of temperature and pressure that favour hydrate formation, and the window of operation in which MEG can be used as a Kinetic Hydrate Inhibitor. There is a requirement for continual injection of MEG for effective operations. To reduce costs and the quantity of wasted MEG, MEG is often regenerated. The MEG is injected on the platform and processed onshore to recover a MEG concentration suitable for recycling back into the pipeline. The purpose of a glycol dehydration unit is to remove water from the MEG, and to also remove the salts produced as a solid by-product during water removal. When produced from a reservoir, natural gas usually contains a large amount of salt water and is typically completely saturated or at the water dew point. This water can cause several problems for downstream processes and equipment. At low temperatures the water can either freeze in piping or, as is more commonly the case, form hydrates with CO₂ and hydrocarbons (mainly methane hydrates). Depending on composition, these hydrates can form at relatively high temperatures plugging equipment and piping. Glycol dehydration inhibits the hydrate formation and increases the time of “free flow”, decreasing plug formation and inevitable off-line time whilst the plugs are removed and the pipeline brought back on line – a very costly exercise. This MEG stream is often also contaminated with inorganic materials such as Ca, Ba salts, and in particular larger amounts of sodium chloride. Our plants are capable of handling high salt concentrations. At Chemoxy International Ltd, our plants are designed for efficiency and are operated under DCS control and our recovered MEG is treated the same as any other manufactured product.

Registered with First Point (or FPAL)

Contact us to discuss what other services we can offer.