Hydrocarbon Mixture Processing System and Method using Vapor Recovery

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing a hydrocarbon mixture wherein heat is generated from compression of recovered natural gas vapors and used to provide a heating medium for a heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for separating components of a hydrocarbon mixture, the system comprising:
 a liquid separator to separate gas, oil and water from the hydrocarbon mixture;   a heat exchanger to heat and supply the hydrocarbon mixture to the liquid separator;   a vapor recovery compressor to compress natural gas vapors from the heat exchanger and provide a heating medium to the heat exchanger, the vapor recovery compressor receiving natural gas vapor from the liquid separator and compressing the natural gas vapor to heat it; and   to the heated vapor is provided from the vapor recovery compressor to the heat exchanger to add heat to the hydrocarbon mixture.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the vapor recovery compressor also receives vapor from oil condensate storage tanks. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the system has reduced emissions of CO 2 , SO 2  or H 2 S during operation due to elimination of a direct tired heater for the system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the system has reduced emissions of CO 2 , SO 2  or H 2 S during operation due to elimination of gases burned off at a flare. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises:
 a plurality of heat exchanger stages; 
 at least one of the heat exchanger stages having heat supplied by engine jacket water; and 
 at least one of the heat exchanger stages having heat supplied by the vapor recovery compressor. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the vapor recovery compressor has a plurality of compressor stages and each of the compressor stages provides a heating medium to one of the plurality of heat exchanger stages. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a forced draft compressor cooler for condensing natural gas liquids from natural gas vapor that has been compressed by the vapor recovery compressor. 
     
     
         8 . A system for separating components of a hydrocarbon mixture, the system comprising:
 a liquid separator to separate gas, oil and water from the hydrocarbon mixture;   a heat exchanger to heat and supply the hydrocarbon mixture to the liquid separator, the heat exchanger having a plurality of heat exchanger stages;   a vapor recovery compressor to compress natural gas vapors from the heat exchanger and provide a heating medium to the heat exchanger, the vapor recovery compressor receiving natural gas vapor from the liquid separator and compressing the natural gas vapor to heat it; and   the heated vapor is provided from the vapor recovery compressor to the heat exchanger to add heat to the hydrocarbon mixture.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the vapor recovery compressor also receives vapor from oil condensate storage tanks. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the system has reduced emissions of CO 2 , SO 2  or H 2 S during operation due to elimination of a direct fired heater for the system. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the system has reduced emissions of CO 2 , SO 2  or H 2 S during operation due to elimination of gases burned off at a flare. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the heat exchanger comprises:
 a plurality of heat exchanger stages; 
 at least one of the heat exchanger stages having heat supplied by engine jacket water; and 
 at least one of the heat exchanger stages having heat supplied by the vapor recovery compressor. 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the vapor recovery compressor has a plurality of compressor stages and each of the compressor stages provides a heating medium to one of the plurality of heat exchanger stages. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a forced draft compressor cooler for condensing natural gas liquids from natural gas vapor that has been compressed by the vapor recovery compressor. 
     
     
         15 . A method of processing a hydrocarbon mixture to separate gas, oil and water from the mixture, the method comprising the steps of:
 heating the hydrocarbon mixture with a heat exchanger;   separating gas, oil and water from the hydrocarbon mixture using a liquid separator;   compressing natural gas vapor from the liquid separator with a vapor recovery compressor; and   providing the compressed natural gas vapor to the heat exchanger for heating the hydrocarbon mixture.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of collecting natural gas liquids from the natural gas vapor after it is compressed.