Carbon dioxide fractionalization process

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first separation unit configured to receive a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising carbon dioxide and produce a heavy hydrocarbon stream and a light hydrocarbon stream; and

a second separation unit configured to receive the light hydrocarbon stream and produce a carbon dioxide-rich stream and a carbon dioxide-lean stream,

wherein the apparatus is configured to feed the carbon dioxide-lean stream to a physical solvent process, a membrane process, or a carbon dioxide recovery process.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to increase a processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process compared to the processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process when fed the hydrocarbon feed stream.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the increase in processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process is directly proportional to the decrease in carbon dioxide concentration between the hydrocarbon feed stream and the carbon dioxide-lean stream, and the decrease in flow rate between the hydrocarbon feed stream and the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first separation unit comprises:

a column configured to receive the hydrocarbon feed stream and produce the light hydrocarbon stream and the heavy hydrocarbon stream; and

a drum configured to receive the heavy hydrocarbon stream and produce an acid gas stream and a heavy hydrocarbon stream.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising: a heat exchanger configured to cool the light hydrocarbon stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising: a second heat exchanger configured to cool the hydrocarbon feed stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first separation unit comprises:

a drum configured to receive the hydrocarbon feed stream and produce a light fraction and a heavy fraction;

a column configured to receive the heavy fraction and produce the light hydrocarbon stream and the heavy hydrocarbon stream; and

wherein the light fraction is combined with the light hydrocarbon stream prior to the second separation unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising: a heat exchanger configured to cool the light hydrocarbon stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising: a second heat exchanger configured to cool the hydrocarbon feed stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a column configured to receive a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising carbon dioxide and produce a light hydrocarbon stream and a heavy hydrocarbon stream; and

a drum configured to receive the heavy hydrocarbon stream and produce an acid gas stream and a heavy hydrocarbon stream; and

a separation unit configured to receive the light hydrocarbon stream and produce a carbon dioxide-rich stream and a carbon dioxide-lean stream,

wherein the apparatus is configured to feed the carbon dioxide-lean stream to a physical solvent process, a membrane process, or a carbon dioxide recovery process.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: a heat exchanger configured to cool the hydrocarbon feed stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising: a second heat exchanger configured to cool the light hydrocarbon stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream, wherein the second heat exchanger is located upstream of the heat exchanger on the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is configured to increase a processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process compared to the processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process when fed the hydrocarbon feed stream.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a drum configured to receive the hydrocarbon feed stream and produce a light fraction and a heavy fraction;

a column configured to receive the heavy fraction and produce the light hydrocarbon stream and the heavy hydrocarbon stream;

a mixer configured to combine the light fraction with the light hydrocarbon stream, thereby forming a mixed light hydrocarbon stream; and

a separation unit configured to receive the mixed light hydrocarbon stream and produce a carbon dioxide-rich stream and a carbon dioxide-lean stream,

wherein the apparatus is configured to feed the carbon dioxide-lean stream to a physical solvent process, a membrane process, or a carbon dioxide recovery process.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising: a heat exchanger configured to cool the hydrocarbon feed stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising: a second heat exchanger configured to cool the mixed light hydrocarbon stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream, wherein the second heat exchanger is located upstream of the heat exchanger on the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the apparatus is configured to increase a processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process compared to the processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process when fed the hydrocarbon feed stream.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon feed stream contains from about 30 percent to about 80 percent carbon dioxide.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heavy hydrocarbon stream contains at least about 90 percent C 3+ .

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide-rich stream contains at least about 95 percent carbon dioxide.