Hydrocarbon condensate (HCC) is a waste product during the production of natural gas, offshore and onshore.
The disposal of HCC is difficult, because of its toxic, corrosive, abrasive and partially high boiling nature. With these contents, the material selection for the pumps requires particular competence.
Advantages of diaphragm pumps in offshore applications:
The stand-by pump can be started directly and remains switched on under suction or discharge pressure in the system.
Onshore disposal is really not a problem because of the storage options. Offshore, HCC is separated from gas and intermediately stored in what are called knock-out drums. Reinjection or transport runs to a central collection point for further pumping onshore and for processing at the knock-out drums.
The quantity in this process is variable; pressure and availability are important aspects: The pump must withdraw a sufficient volume to avoid triggering the LSHH of the knock-out drum, since otherwise production must be stopped. The mixing of corrosive and abrasive contents means the selection of wetted parts is highly important, especially for valves that need matching hardness and corrosion resistance.
Important points for a proper layout:
In addition it includes the following substances:
The various components of HCC are listed in the table:
| HCC | Formula | Melting point °C | Boiling point °C | State at 25°C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methane | CH4 | -183 | -164 | gaseous |
| Ethane | C2H6 | -183 | -89 | gaseous |
| Propane | C3H9 | -190 | -42 | gaseous |
| Butane | C4H10 | -138 | -0.5 | gaseous |
| Pentane | C5H12 | -130 | +36 | liquid |
| Hexane | C6H14 | -95 | +69 | liquid |
| Heptane | C7H16 | -91 | +98 | liquid |
| Octane | C8H18 | -57 | +125 | liquid |
| Nonane | C9H20 | -51 | +151 | liquid |
| Decane | C10H22 | -30 | +174 | liquid |
| Undecane | C11H24 | -25 | +196 | liquid |
| Dodecane | C12H26 | -10 | +216 | liquid |
| Eicosane | C12H42 | +37 | +343 | solid |
| Triacontane | C30H62 | +66 | +450 | solid |
LEWA has been your expert in pumps and packages since the 1950s. With us, you get everything from a single source: Our custom-built packages are used all around the world for offshore crude oil and natural gas production. From China to the United Arab Emirates, strong partners rely on our expertise for crude oil exploration applications.
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