Industry’s largest modular cryogenic gas plant design processes 300 million standard cubic feet per day with more than 99% ethane recovery, according to Honeywell
Honeywell (Morris Plains, N.J.; www.honeywell.com) announced that its UOP Russell business has introduced a new high-recovery cryogenic gas processing plant that is 50% larger than other pre-engineered plants currently available. With a capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet per day, the new SC-30 gas plant employs Ortloff Recycle Split Vapor technology that can recover more than 99 percent of high-value ethane from natural gas.
Honeywell UOP recently announced that it has acquired the business of Ortloff Engineers, Ltd., a leading developer of specialized technologies that drive high returns in natural gas processing and sulfur recovery. Ortloff technologies are specialized to maximize gas separation and compression in modular cryogenic gas plants, providing customers with high operational flexibility and greater returns on their plant investments.
Due to its larger size, the SC-30 plant is about 20% more energy efficient on a per-cubic foot basis, lowering gas processors’ capital and operating costs. The plant is prefabricated and delivered in modular form, and uses an advanced cycle process to extract high-value ethane from residue gas. Ethane is used almost exclusively as a petrochemical feedstock to produce ethylene, which is a primary component of plastics.
“Market dynamics that are increasing demand for larger-scale gas plants is being driven by the processors, who are increasing their scale and looking for ways to lower their costs,” said Neil Eckersley, UOP Russell general manager at Honeywell. “A larger plant such as the SC-30 can do the job of two, for little more than the cost of one.”
To make the SC-30 possible, UOP Russell created a new engineering design that included larger pumps, coolers, tanks and piping contained on modular skids. Each of these skids are manufactured in factory conditions, ensuring high manufacturing quality and on-time delivery. The entire plant can be transported on truck beds and assembled on site, anywhere natural gas is being produced.