SEPARATION OF HEAVY HYDROCARBONS AND METHANE FROM NATURAL GAS IN A SCRUB COLUMN AND PRODUCING L.N.G.

摘要

A process for liquefying natural gas in which heavier hydrocarbons are separated in a scrub column from the natural gas prior to liquefaction. The feed to the scrub column is intercooled against the methane-rich overhead from said column and isentropically expanded before being introduced to the column and separated from the heavier hydrocarbons. The methane-rich overhead stream is compressed utilizing the mechanical energy of expansion and liquefied in a refrigerated heat exchanger.