Corrosion, hydrogen damage, foaming, circulating solvent loss, and the loss of valuable hydrocarbon products are major concerns associated with the processing of natural gas. These concerns are the same regardless if the solvent used for treating the raw gas is chemical, physical, or a hybrid. Historically rich solvent acid gas loading values provided a guide in predicting corrosion, but this value does not incorporate the different factors that contribute to the risks associated with a plant's operating conditions. The Absorber Gas Treating Function (AGTF) value calculation was developed to include the essential variables that affect the risks associated with a specific plant's operating conditions. Using the AGTF value method, this paper quantifies an absorber's risk using a number of case studies.

The variables used in the calculation of the AGTF value include the:

  • temperature differential across the absorber;

  • absorber's operating pressure;

  • concentration of reactants in the solvent;

  • ratio of hydrogen sulf ide (H2S) to carbon dioxide (CO2) in the raw gas;

  • characteristics of the circulating solvent;

  • metallurgy of the plant's equipment;

  • configuration of the plant and its operating practices;

  • health, safety, environment and loss prevention record;

  • management of change practice.

Subject
Acids, Absorption, Hydrogen damage, Gas treatment, Solvents, Acid gases, Gas pressure, Partial pressures, Amines, Equipment, Risk management, Carbon steel, Chemical reactions
Keywords:
absorber, gas treating, corrosion risk ranking, equipment integrity, AGTF, AGTF-03
© 2004 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2004
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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