Analysis of Hydrocarbon Allocation Techniques for Natural Gas Plant Outputs

Hydrocarbon commingling and the utilization of shared production and processing facilities are common practices in the oil and gas industry, serving as economic methods for field development and cost-effective gas monetization. However, the complexity of hydrocarbon commingling presents challenges in achieving accurate, traceable, and equitable allocation. This study explores patented methods, such as the differential and phase behavior model approaches, as well as established techniques like simple proportional and process modeling. Additionally, the newly developed compositional mass balance allocation method is investigated and compared against the benchmarked Unisim Utility Method. The findings indicate that the phase behavior method exhibits larger allocation deviations, while the differential method tends to over-allocate. The plain allocation method demonstrates a reasonable alignment with the Unisim Utility Method. However, the compositional mass balance method offers precise allocation. This research concludes that the compositional mass balance method serves as a dependable approach for natural gas plant allocation, warranting further consideration as a reference method within the industry.