Process, method, and system for removing mercury from fluids

摘要

Trace levels of mercury in a natural gas are removed in a gas processing plant in an amine unit and/or a dehydrator. The mercury removal occurs concurrently with the removal of acid gases in an amine unit, e.g., an absorber or scrubber, with an amine solution containing a complexing agent. The mercury removal can also be carried out concurrently with the removal of water in a glycol dehydrator with the addition of a complexing agent to the glycol solution. Volatile mercury in the natural gas is removed by the complexing agent, forming non-volatile mercury species in the rich amine/glycol solution.

主权项

1. A method for removing a trace amount of mercury in a natural gas feed, comprising:
providing a gas feed to a dehydrator, the gas feed containing acid gases, a first concentration of volatile mercury and water, contacting the gas feed with a glycol solution containing a complexing agent in the dehydrator, generating a dehydrated gas stream with a reduced concentration of water and mercury; wherein mercury and water are concurrently removed from the gas feed for a rich glycol containing at least 50% of the volatile mercury in the gas feed as non-volatile mercury.