Design of an acidic natural gas purification plant by means of a process simulator

One of the most used techniques for gas purification from CO2 and H2S is chemical absorption by means of an amine solution. This technique is energy-demanding and requires an accurate design of the removal-regeneration system which usually consists of an absorber followed by a distillation unit. Processes for the combined removal of CO2 and H2S have two main fields of application: natural gas (NG) plants and refinery gas purification units. The paper is mainly focused on the design, using commercially available process simulators, of a purification unit with methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) in a large size NG plant of the Emirates from the point of view of an engineering company. Emphasis is given to the way an engineering company approaches the design task with the constraint of the different types of guarantees that the customer requires.