Unique Dual Core Acid Gas Removal Membrane Technology Reduces Total Cost of Ownership for South East Asia Gas Plant

Schlumberger has developed a unique PN-1 membrane technology in collaboration with Petronas. The technology is unique in combining two distinct types of membrane fibers in one single membrane module to reduce the overall membrane requirement by 10% and offers overall CAPEX and OPEX savings. The PN-1 technology was developed in 2009 and was successfully tested onshore and offshore facilities for total 5 years. The PN-1 technology was first deployed in an onshore gas processing facility which was awarded to Schlumberger in 2013. The facility comprised of membrane pretreatment which is mainly gas dehydration, dew pointing followed by several PN-1 membranes in first stage. The membrane design was unique to handle variable inlet feed conditions from 25 to 12% CO2 inlet gas and outlet gas at 8% CO2. The feed gas design flowrate is 700 MMSCFD and at 750 psig operating pressure. Since this is an onshore gas receiving station, the processing trains should be able to handle variable inlet CO2 concentration in the inlet feed gas and particularly membranes. Schlumberger engineered the entire pretreatment system, membrane and mercaptan removal system. The entire system was delivered and commissioned by Schlumberger on time and was brought online in 2017. The PN-1 membrane system was successful in meeting the required outlet gas CO2 specification while retaining maximum hydrocarbons in the product gas.