Gazprom Neft Company Begins Trial Run of New Technology for Beneficial Use of APG

Gazprom Neft began the trial run of a new technology allowing utilization of the associated petroleum gas (APG). The company launched the test operation of the facility for the soft steam reforming (SSR) in the south-west part of Krapivinskoye oil-field, Omsk region, developed by Gazpromneft-Vostok. This technology is designed to process the broad fraction of light hydrocarbons (BFLH) contained in the developed APG into gas that can be further used for power generation needs as well as channeled into the pipe-lines and delivered to the users.

The SSR facility was developed by two Russian companies, BI Technology (100% subsidiary company of Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS) and Bezopasnye Tekhnologii (Safe Technologies) under control of the experts from Gas and Power Industry Direction of Gazprom Neft and Sci-Tech Center of the company. The testing of the new facility will take several months, and after calculation of economic efficiency a decision should be made to order the additional modules allowing complete processing of the associated petroleum gas of the south-west part of Krapivinskoe oil-field. In future the obtained experience will be engaged to realize the company’s other projects.

In order to elevate the level of the beneficial use of APG Gazprom Neft carries out a number of projects for its efficient processing directly within the sites of development, since it is impossible to transport the APG via the oil pipe-lines, and an expensive preparation is necessary to channel it through the gas pipe-lines. The engineering solutions suggested for the use in the south-west part of Krapivinskoe oil-field of Gazprom Neft allow complete engagement of the obtained APG into the production process and result in an increase of the project cost-effectiveness.

Note

Broad fraction of light hydrocarbons is a product of processing of petroleum gas and gas condensate. BFLH is obtained as a result of separation of associated gas at gas processing plant. Stripped gas and natural gasoline are other products of the process. BFLH is the basic raw material for petrochemical industry used to produce a wide range of goods: rubber, plastic, solvents, super gasoline components, etc.