Catu
Turbo Expander LPG Recovery Plant
Client:Petrobras of Brazil
Location:Catu, northern Brazil
Project Summary
TDE signed a contract with Petrobras to supply a TurboExpander C3+ Recovery Plant and a Condensate Stabilization plant to process a 2,500,000 m3/day (88 MMSCFD) of natural gas and 140 m3/day  (880 bbl/day) of condensate.  The contract included the following TDE supplied equipment and services:
  • Detailed design (process, mechanical, structural, electrical, instrumentation & control) and fabrication of the C3+ Extraction and Condensate Stabilization plants.
  • Shop fabrication of the process plant on a modular basis.
  • Automated control system with local and remote monitoring stations.
  • Registration of plant and equipment with Brazilian Authorities and Standards Agencies.
  • Shop testing of all equipment and systems.
  • Transportation to site.
  • Construction supervision service during the site installation.
  • Responsibility for and start up of plant and operational performance test.
  • Personnel training for processes and operation.

Gas Plant Equipment Summary

Inlet Gas Handling 

Process Facilities: Inlet Separator, 2 x 100% Inlet Filter Coalescers, 2 x 100% Inlet Dry Gas Filters.

Gas Dehydration

Dehydration Technology: Mole Sieve Dehydration  Outlet Gas Water Dewpoint: -100°C (-148°F)
No. of Mole Sieve Contactors: Three @ 50% Capacity(Two operating, one Stand By)                                              

Gas  Chilling, Turboexpansion & Deethanizer Tower

Pre-Gas Chillers: Brazed Aluminum Fin/Plate Duty: 3789 kW / 1989 kW (13 / 6.8 MMBTU/hr)
Deethanizer Fractionation:  Full stainless 1829 / 1067 mm (72"/ 42") ID x 32m   (105ft)seam to seam. 1530 kW (5.2 MMBTU/hr)+ 10% reboiler
C3+ Product Cooler: Air Cooler / Forced Draft 393 kW (1.3 MMBTU/hr)
Expander Type: Mafi Trench EC/Frame 3.0 Pre Boost
Sales Gas Compression
Gas Compressor Type: Dresser Rand 6 Throw, Single Stage HOS reciprocating
Compressor Driver: Electric Motor WEG 3600 kW (4828 HP) @ 1200 RPM
After-Cooler: Air Cooler / Forced Draft 3669 kW (12.5 MMBTU/hr)

Condensate Stabilization Plant

Condensate Flow Rate: 60-140 m3/day @ 9-11 Barg and 20-50°C BSW Content 10-30%
Process Facilities: Inlet Produced Condensate Separator, Stabilizer Tower, Heat Exchangers, Air-Coolers, Reflux Accumulator, Reflux Pumps

Heat Medium & Drainage Systems

Heat Medium: 150 m3/hr (600 USGPM) Lubrax @ 255°C (491°F) 5275 kW (18.0 MMBTU/hr) Direct Fired Cylindrical Type Heater
Plant Drainage: Cold Drain Vessel, Closed Drain Vessel, Closed Drain Pumps

Regeneration Gas System

Regeneration Gas Compressors: 2 x 100% Sundyne Centrifugal Gas Compressors 456m3/hr (16,100 ft3/hr)
Regeneration Gas Cooler: Air Cooler / Forced Draft    3730 kW (12.7 MMBTU/hr)
Regeneration Gas Heater: TEMA "R" BEU, 3956 kW (13.5 MMBTU/hr)

Control Systems

Process Control Functions:    Foundation Fieldbus Control System Process Module Local Control:    Siemens 315 series PLCs & MP- 370 touch screen
Human Machine Interface (HMI):    Redundant Intellution IFIX

Project took about 2½ years to complete. Start up was in the spring of 2005