Method and apparatus for treating natural gas from gas wells for safe transportation in pressure vessels

摘要

A system for treating natural gas from a gas source, such as a gas well, to make it suitable for safe transport in high tensile strength pressure vessels at pressures in excess of 2000 psi. The system comprises suitable pipes and valves for taking gas from a gas well. A separator is provided for removing free liquids from the gas fed thereto from the gas well to provide a substantially liquid-free gas. A compressor compresses the substantially liquid-free gas to a higher pressure to reduce the volume of the gas for storage in the pressure vessels. A cooler is further provided to reduce the volume of gas and to recondition the gas for dehydration. A dehydrator substantially lowers the water vapor content in the gas to a concentration of less than 0.1 lb H2O/mmscf of gas to prevent the formation of free water within the pressure vessels when transporting and unloading the gas and which water would cause internal corrosion and failure of the pressure vessels. Pipes and valves are also provided for loading the pressurized dehydrated gas in the vessels.