11/10/2023

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION :

PROCESS IN
OIL & GAS
INDUSTRIES

1
1

CHAPTER 1

1. Composition & characteristic of crude OUTLINE

petroleum
2. Overview of crude oil processing
3. Overview of natural gas field processing
4. Scope of process design

2
2

1
 11/10/2023

COMPOSITION & CHARACTERISTIC OF

CRUDE PETROLEUM

3
3

INTRODUCTION
• Crude oils are complex mixtures containing many different HC compounds
that vary in appearance and composition from one oil field to another.
• Clear to black colour with consistency from water to tar-like solids.
• An “average” crude oil contains about 84% C, 14% H, 1%-3% S, and less 1%
each of N, O, metals and salts.
• Classified as paraffinic, naphthenic, or aromatic based on the predominant
proportion of similar HC molecules.
• It is defined in terms of API (American Petroleum Institute) gravity. The
higher the API, the lighter the crude.
• Crude oils that contain appreciable quantities of hydrogen sulfide or
other reactive sulfur compounds are called “sour”.
• Those with less sulfur are called “sweet”
4
4

2
 11/10/2023

Density and sulfur contents of selected crude oils in the world

•Light crude oil has an API gravity higher than 31.1° (i.e., less than 870 kg/m3)
•Medium oil has an API gravity between 22.3 and 31.1° (i.e., 870 to 920 kg/m3)
•Heavy crude oil has an API gravity below 22.3° (i.e., 920 to 1000 kg/m3)
•Extra heavy oil has an API gravity below 10.0° (i.e., greater than 1000 kg/m3)
5
5

HYDROCARBON CHEMISTRY OF CRUDE OIL

• Crude oil is a mixture of HC molecules that may include from 1 to 60 carbon atoms.
• The property of HCs depend on the number and arrangement of the C and H atoms
in the molecules.
• The simplest HC molecule is methane (CH4).
• 1- 4 C atoms are usually gases, 5-19 C atoms are liquids, and with 20 or more are
solids.
• The refining process uses chemicals, catalysts, heat, and pressure to separate and
combine the basic types of HC molecules naturally found in crude oil into groups of
similar molecules.
• It also rearranges their structures and bonding patterns into different HC molecules and
compounds.
• Three principal groups or series of HC compounds that occur naturally in crude oil are
paraffins, aromatics and naphthenes.
6

3
 11/10/2023

PARAFFINS
• The paraffinics series of HC compounds
found in crude oil have the general formula
CnH2n+2 and can be either straight chains
(normal) or branched chains (isomers).

• The lighter, straight-chain paraffin

molecules are found in gases and paraffin
waxes (methane, ethane, propane and
butane; pentane and hexane).

• The branched-chain (isomer) paraffins are

usually found in heavier fractions of crude
oil and have higher octane number than
normal paraffins. • These compounds are saturated HCs, with
all C bonds satisfied, that is, the HC chain
carries the full complement of H atoms.

WHAT CAN U
CONCLUDE?

4
 11/10/2023

NAPHTHENES

• Naphthenes are saturated hydrocarbon

groupings with the general formula
CnH2n, arranged in the form of closed
rings (cyclic).
• Naphthenes are usually found in all fractions
of crude oil except the very lightest.
• Single-ring naphthenes
(monocycloparaffins) with five and six
C atoms predominate, with two-ring
naphthenes (dicycloparaffins) found in
the heavier ends of naphtha.

AROMATICS
• Aromatics are unsaturated ring-type
(cyclic) compounds which react readily
because they have C atoms that are
deficient in H.
• All aromatics have at least one benzene
ring as part of their molecular
structure.
• Naphthalenes are fused double
ring aromatic compounds.
• The most complex aromatics, polynuclears
(three or more fused aromatic ring), are
found in heavier fractions of crude oil.

10

10

5
 11/10/2023

OTHER HYDROCARBONS:
ALKENES

• Alkenes are mono-olefins with the

general formula CnH2n and contain
only one C=C double bond in
the chain.
• The simplest alkene is ethylene,
with two C atoms joined by a double
bond and four H atoms.
• Olefins are usually formed by thermal
and catalytic cracking and rarely
occur naturally in unprocessed crude
oil.
11

11

NON-HYDROCARBONS
Sulfur Compounds:
• Sulfur may be present in crude oil as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as
compounds (e.g. mercaptans, sulfides, disulfides, thiophenes,
etc.) or as element sulfur.
• H2S is a primary contributor to corrosion in refinery processing
units.
Oxygen Compounds:
• Oxygen compounds such as phenols, ketones, and carboxylic
acids occur in crude oil in varying amounts.
Nitrogen Compounds:
• Nitrogen is found in lighter fractions of crude oil as basic
compounds.
Trace Metals:
• Metals, including nickel, iron and vanadium are often found in
crude oils in small quantities and are removed during the
refining process.
Salts:
• Crude oils often contain inorganic salts such as sodium chloride,
magnesium chloride and calcium chloride in suspension or
dissolved in entrained water.
Carbon Dioxide:
• Carbon dioxide may result from the decomposition of bicarbonates 12
present in or added to crude, or from steam used in the distillation
process.

12

6
 11/10/2023

13

13

UPSTREAM OIL & GAS PROCESSING

14

14

7
 11/10/2023

15

16

8
 11/10/2023

OVERVIEW OF CRUDE
OIL PROCESSING

17
17

CRUDE OIL TREATMENT

Crude oil processing can be separated into six major operations:
1. Separation : Separators are large drums designed to separate wellstreams into their individual phases
2. Emulsion treatment / Dehydration : Not all water is removed from crude oil during the first stage of gravity
separation. Separated crude may contain up to 15% water which exists in an emulsified form that is difficult
for a separator to remove
3. Desalter : After oil/water separation, there is a small amount of unwanted salts in residual water in the
crude oil. The salt need to be reduced to a concentration around 5-10 PTB (Pounds per Thousand Barrels)
salt so that the crude oil can be processed in a refinery or stabilizer plant without fouling heaters and
exchangers and other equipment
4. Stabilization : By removing dissolved gases and hydrogen sulfide, crude stabilization and sweetening
processes diminish safety and corrosion problems. Gases are removed by a stabilizer
5. Storage : Crude oil and water are stored in oil fields. Unlike midstream tank farms at terminals and
refineries, field storage consists of smaller vessels associated with oil and water processing
6. Metering : It is the most important phase along the hydrocarbon supply value chain where exploration and
production (E&P) efforts turn into profits for operators, investors, and other relevant stakeholders.
Hydrocarbon metering is carried out using specialized and high-precision equipment to ensure
accuracy. Quantifying process in mass or volume of hydrocarbons produced.
18
18

9
 11/10/2023

SEPARATOR

• The force of gravity is a universal method

for the separation of oil, gas, and water.
• The principles and operation of production
separators are based on the difference in
gravity, or weight, of each fluid.
• Production separators do the same gravity
job; however, they are built to handle a
continuous stream and have improved
separation efficiency under flow conditions.
• Based on pressure zone, three general types
of separators called Horizontal Separator,
Vertical Separator, and Spherical
Separator are being used in the industry.

19
19

20

20

10
 11/10/2023

OVERVIEW OF NATURAL GAS FIELD

PROCESSING

21
21

NATURAL GAS
• Natural gas is the gas obtained from
natural underground reservoirs either
as free gas or gas associated with
crude oil.
• It generally contains large amount of
methane (CH4) along with decreasing
amounts of other hydrocarbons.
• Impurities such as H2S, N2, and CO2 are
often found with the gas.
• It also generally comes saturated with
water vapor.
22
22

11
 11/10/2023

FIELD PROCESSING
• The principal market for natural gas is
achieved via transmission lines, with distribute
it to different consuming centers, such as
industrial, commercial, and domestic.
• Field processing operations are thus enforced
to treat the natural gas in order to meet the
requirements and specifications set by the
gas transmission companies.
• The main objective is to simply obtain the natural gas
as a main product free from impurities.
• With an increase of liquid product (NGL) recovery, the field
processing units are economically justified.

23
23

TYPES OF GAS RESERVOIR

• Different fields might produce different
types of gas.
• Some fields produce saturated
associated gas (gas associated with
crude oil) and a dry gas (free gas)
might be produced from some other
fields.
• The types of reservoir in the world has
vary hydrocarbons composition and,
hence, the gas produced.
• Some of the factors contributing to these
changes are as follows:
• The contents of heavier components.
• The percentage of acidic gases.
• The presence of inert gases.
24
24

12
 11/10/2023

NATURAL GAS SPECIFICATIONS

Market sales of natural gas require some specifications set by
the consumers regarding the maximum contents allowable for the following:
acidic gases and sulfur, oxygen and carbon dioxide, water vapor, and
liquefiable hydrocarbons.

H2S 0.25-0.3 grain per 100 ft3

Total sulfur 20 grains per 100 ft3
Oxygen (air) Carbon dioxide 0.2% by volume
Liquefiable hydrocarbons 2% by volume
Water content 0.2 gal per 1000 ft3

Thermal heating value 7 lbs/MMSCF (in a 1000-psia gas line) 1150 Btu/ft3

25
25

EFFECT OF IMPURITIES IN NG
1) Water vapor:
• Liquid water accelerates corrosion in the presence of H2S gas.
• Solid hydrates, made up of water and hydrocarbons, plug valves,
fittings in pipelines, and so forth.

2) H2S and CO2:

• Both gases are harmful, especially H2S, which is toxic if
burned; it gives SO2 and SO3 which are irritant to consumers.
• Both gases are corrosive in the presence of water.
• CO2 contributes a lower heating value to the gas.

3) Liquid hydrocarbons:
• Their presence in undesirable in the gas used as a fuel.
• The liquid form is objectionable for burners designed for gas
fuels.
• For pipelines, it is a serious problem to handle two-phase flow:
liquid and gas.

26

13
 11/10/2023

NATURAL GAS PROCESSING

• Natural-gas processing is a complex and expensive industrial process aims to clean raw
natural gas by separating impurities and various non-methane hydrocarbons and fluids to
produce ‘pipeline quality’ dry natural gas.
• All of the H2S and most of the water vapor, CO2, and N2 must be removed from the gas.
• Field processing operations of generally include the following:
 Removal of water vapor, dehydration.
 Removal of acidic gases (H2S and CO2).
 Separation and fractionation of heavy liquid hydrocarbons (natural gas liquid; NGL).
• It is desirable to recover NGL present in the gas in appreciable quantities includes C3+.
• To recover and separate NGL from a bulk of a gas stream, it requires a change in phase where
a new phase has to be developed for separation to take place by using one of the following:
• An energy-separating agent; examples are refrigeration for partial or total liquefaction and
fractionation.
• A mass-separating agent: examples are adsorption and absorption (using selective
hydrocarbons, 100-180 MW). 27
27

TREATMENT AND PROCESSING OF NG SYSTEM

Following parameters should be evaluated and 1. Estimated gas reserve
considered in designing the processing: (both associated and
free).
2. The gas flow rate and
composition of the feed gas.
3. Market demand, both local
and export, for the products
4. Geographic location and
methods of shipping of
finished products.
5. Environmental factors.
6. Risks involved in
implementing the project and
its economics.

•Beside these, the gas/oil reserve might be the paramount factor 28

28

14
 11/10/2023

SCOPE OF PROCESS DESIGN

29
29

CONCEPTUAL STUDY
• The conceptual study is the first step of any project.

• It investigates one or more means (development

schemes) of accomplishing the objective.

• Economic and technical assessment and comparison

of the various methods or schemes is made.

• The analysis includes estimations of the timing and

amounts of all projected capital and operating
expenditures and related revenues.

• Economic assessments– Net Present Value (NPV),

Internal Return On Revenue (ROR), payout period,
percent profit

• The basic tools used in economically assessing

these various developmental schemes are block
diagrams and analyses of alternative costs
30
30

15
 11/10/2023

TYPE OF DIAGRAMS

• Block Diagram (BD)

• Process Flow Diagram (PFD)
/Information Flow Diagram
 Material Flow Sheet
 Energy Flow Sheet
• Piping & Instrumentation Diagram
(P&ID)

31
31

BLOCK DIAGRAM (BD)

• BDs provide an overall view of the

process, generally on a single
sheet of paper, with each major
operating step represented by a
block.

• BDs are used primarily for training

people who are not familiar with the
unit. They are also useful for
conceptual studies because they
provide a good overview of the
process. 32
32

16
 11/10/2023

33
33

Notes/Legends
Company Logo
Drawing Type
Plant Name
Drawing No.

34

17
 11/10/2023

• The block diagram is converted into a

PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM process flow diagram (PFD)/process
flowsheet to better define the project.
(PFD) • PFD are intended to represent and
explain processes.

• PFD shows all major equipment and

their arrangements.

• It includes main piping with flow

arrows and shows operation
pressure and temperature of the
piping and equipment.

• At present there is no generally

accepted industrywide body of
drafting standards, although every
large engineering office does have its
internal standards.

• Some information appears in ANSI and

British Standards publications,
particularly of piping symbols.

35

PFD CONTENT • Process flowsheet/PFD does

not show utilities, safety
systems, firewater
systems, spare equipment,
minor or support lines,
detailed instrumentation

• A table is included listing

pertinent design data for
these streams (STREAM
TABLE) .
• Data to be listed include flow
rates,composition,
pressures, temperatures,
specific gravities, and other
properties when required.

36

18
 11/10/2023

PFD EQUIPMENT SYMBOLS

37
37

38
38

19
 11/10/2023

39

PIPING & INSTRUMENTATION

DIAGRAM (PID)

• The process flow-sheet shows the arrangement

of the major pieces of equipment and their
interconnection. It is a description of the nature
of the process.
• The Piping and Instrument diagram (P and I
diagram or PID) shows the engineering details of
the equipment, instruments, piping, valves and
fittings; and their arrangement.
• It is often called the Engineering Flow-sheet or
Engineering Line Diagram.

40
40

20
 11/10/2023

41

42

21
 11/10/2023

STANDARDS IN PROCESS DESIGN

ANSI/ASME B31.3 Process Piping
API RP 14C Analysis, Design, Installation and Testing of Basic Surface Safety Systems on Offshore
Production Platforms. (New revision of ISO 10418 to be used, when issued in 2000).
API RP 520 Sizing, Selection and Installation of Pressure-Relieving Systems in Refineries
API RP 521 Guide for Pressure-Relieving and Depressuring Systems.
BS MA 18 Salt water piping systems in ships

API 2000 Venting Atmospheric and Low-Pressure Storage Tanks

API RP 14 E Design and Installation of Offshore Production Platform Piping Systems.
ISO/DIS-14313 Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries, Pipeline, Check, Gate and Plugvalves
ASME VIII Boiler and Pressure vessel code
BS 5500 Unfired Fusion Welded Pressure Vessel Code.
TBK 1-2 General Rules for Pressure Vessel

43
43

PIPELINE CODES AND

STANDARDS
• Pipeline systems are designed according to
various statutory and regulatory codes and
standards.

44
44

22
 11/10/2023

SIMULATION SOFTWARE

45
45

Familiarize with BD,

TASKS PFD and PID

Tutorial 1

46
46

23