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Amine Treating Unit

Usually crude oil extracted f rom geological sources is accompanied by hydrogen sulphide gas (H2S). T his H2S is separated f rom rest of the oil at the atmospheric distillation unit along with lighter hydrocarbons and collectively termed as sour gas. H2S is separated f rom hydrocarbons at the amine treatment unit and H2S rich gas f low is sent to sulphur recovery unit (SRU) f or extracting elemental sulphur f rom H2S gas. Amine treatment unit uses Methyl Di Ethanol Amine or MDEA to remove H 2S and CO2 gases f rom other lighter hydrocarbon gases. An amine treatment unit involves two stages. First stage is an amine contactor where gases are bought in contact with amine and H2S and CO2 are absorbed in the liquid phase. Second stage is an amine regenerator where H2S and CO2 are stripped away f rom the liquid phase to regenerate the lean amine solution to be recirculated to the amine contactor column. Amine contactor is essentially an absorption column. T he lean amine solution f lows f rom top to the bottom of absorption column. T he sour gas f lows f rom bottom of the column to the top. H2S and CO2 are pref erentially absorbed in the amine solution and sweet hydrocarbon gases are taken out f rom the column overhead. Amine solution rich in H2S and CO2 is taken out f rom the bottom of absorption column and taken to amine surge drum. T he hydrocarbons condensed to liquid phase in the amine contactor f low along with the amine solution to amine surge drum which is a 3-phase separator and hydrocarbon condensate is separated f rom amine solution using a weir. Rich amine solution separated in the amine surge drum is then taken to the amine regenerator columns which is essentially a stripper column. T he rich amine solution in introduced at the top of the column. T his amine solution is taken out f rom the column bottom and f ed to the amine reboiler which utilizes steam to boil of f H2S and CO2 f rom the amine solution. T hese vapors are introduced at the column bottom they f low in contact with the rich amine solution to the top of the regenerator column and are taken out f rom the column overhead. T he vapors f rom column overhead are f ed to a condenser to extract any entrained amine which is recycled to the column top. In this way, lean amine is regenerated at the bottom reboiler of the regenerating column and recycled to the amine contactor column. T he acid gas (H2S and CO2) is removed f rom regenerator overhead and taken to the sulphur recovery unit (SRU). T he hydrocarbons condensed to liquid phase in the amine contactor f low along with the amine solution to amine surge drum which is a 3-phase separator and hydrocarbon condensate is separated f rom amine

solution using a weir.