IP Library Granted Patent US 12,486,462
Granted Patent B2
US 12,486,462 · App. 18/489,714 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Integration of emissions reduction and gas sweetening in gas-oil separation plant

Inventors: Hamad M. Alowaiydh (Ras Tannurah, SA); Ayman M. Farsi (Ras Tannurah, SA); Ghassan M. Althagafi (Ras Tannurah, SA)
Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
C10G31/09C10G33/08C25B1/02C25B15/081C07C1/12C10G2300/207
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,486,462
App. No.
18/489,714
Granted
Dec 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) system includes a crude inlet line extending to a separation vessel where a sour gas stream may be separated from an inlet fluid stream. The GOSP system provides an H 2 S membrane system where the sour gas stream may be directed for separation of H 2 S and an electrolyzer where H 2 may be separated from the H 2 S. The GOSP system also includes a combustion gas turbine where an exhaust containing CO 2 is produced and a CO 2 membrane system where the CO 2 may be separated from the exhaust. The H 2 and CO2 may be combined and reacted in a Sabatier reactor to produce CH 4 and H 2 O. The CH 4 may be used to fuel the combustion gas turbine and the H 2 O may be directed to a steam head for use in other processes. Additionally, a sweetened gas stream having the H 2 S removed may be exported by the GOSP system.

Claims (30)

1 . A gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) system, comprising:

a crude inlet line extending from a source of an inlet fluid stream;

a separation vessel fluidly coupled to the crude inlet line and operable to separate a sour gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) from the inlet fluid stream;

an H 2 S membrane system fluidly coupled to the separation vessel to receive the sour gas stream therefrom, the membrane system operable to separate the H 2 S from the sour gas stream;

an electrolyzer fluidly coupled to the membrane system to receive the H 2 S therefrom; the electrolyzer operable to separate hydrogen (H 2 ) from the H 2 S;

a combustion gas turbine operable to generate power by burning a fuel and producing an exhaust containing carbon dioxide (CO 2 );

a CO 2 membrane system operably coupled to the combustion gas turbine to receive the exhaust therefrom and to separate the CO 2 from the exhaust; and

a Sabatier reactor fluidly coupled to the electrolyzer for receiving the H 2 therefrom and fluidly coupled to the CO 2 membrane system for receiving the CO 2 therefrom, the Sabatier reactor operable to react the H 2 and the CO 2 with one another to produce methane (CH 4 ) and water (H 2 O).

2 . The GOSP system of claim 1 , further comprising a hydrogen storage vessel fluidly coupled between the electrolyzer and the Sabatier reactor.

3 . The GOSP system of claim 2 , further comprising an ejector fluidly coupled between the hydrogen storage vessel and the Sabatier reactor and fluidly coupled between the CO 2 membrane system and the Sabatier reactor, the ejector operable to regulate the flow of H 2 from the hydrogen storage vessel and to entrain the H 2 with the CO 2 .

4 . The GOSP system of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyzer is operably coupled to at least one of the combustion gas turbine or an external power source to receive the power therefrom.

5 . The GOSP system of claim 4 , further comprising a methane transmission line fluidly coupled between the Sabatier reactor and the combustion gas turbine, the methane transmission line operable to deliver the CH 4 from the Sabatier reactor to the combustion gas turbine for use by the combustion gas turbine as the fuel.

6 . The GOSP system of claim 1 , further comprising a water vapor separator fluidly coupled to the Sabatier reactor to receive the CH 4 therefrom, the water vapor separator operable to dry the CH 4 .

7 . The GOSP system of claim 6 further comprising a water return line fluidly coupled between the water vapor separator and the Sabatier reactor, the water return line operable to return H 2 O separated from the CH 4 to the Sabatier reactor where the H 2 O may be combined with steam and free H 2 O produced in the Sabatier reactor and directed to a steam header.

8 . The GOSP system of claim 1 , further comprising a blower fluidly coupled between the combustion gas turbine and the CO 2 membrane system, the blower operable to increase a pressure of the exhaust of the combustion gas turbine delivered to the CO 2 membrane system.

9 . A method for operating a GOSP system, the method comprising:

flowing an inlet fluid stream into a separation vessel;

separating a sour gas stream from the inlet fluid stream, the sour gas stream including hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) contained therein;

flowing the sour gas stream to an H 2 S membrane system and separating the H 2 S from the sour gas stream with the H 2 S membrane system;

flowing the H 2 S from the H 2 S membrane system to an electrolyzer and separating hydrogen (H 2 ) from the H 2 S with the electrolyzer;

operating a combustion gas turbine to generate power by burning a fuel and to produce an exhaust containing carbon dioxide (CO 2 );

flowing the exhaust from the combustion gas turbine to a CO 2 membrane system and separating the CO 2 from the exhaust with the a CO 2 membrane system;

flowing the H 2 from the H 2 S membrane system to a Sabatier reactor and flowing the CO 2 from the CO 2 membrane system to the Sabatier reactor; and

reacting the H 2 with the CO 2 with the Sabatier reactor to produce methane (CH 4 ) and water (H 2 O).

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising storing and accumulating the H 2 in a hydrogen storage vessel fluidly coupled between the electrolyzer and the Sabatier reactor.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising regulating a flow of the H 2 from the hydrogen storage vessel and entraining the H 2 with the CO 2 with an ejector fluidly coupled between the CO 2 membrane system, the hydrogen storage vessel and the Sabatier reactor.

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising powering the electrolyzer with at least one of power generated by the combustion gas turbine or power from an external power source.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising flowing the CH 4 through a methane transmission line between the Sabatier reactor and the combustion gas turbine and using the CH 4 as the fuel for combustion gas turbine.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising drying the CH 4 produced in the Sabatier reactor with a water vapor separator and returning water separated from the CH 4 to the Sabatier reactor through a water return line fluidly coupled between the water vapor separator and the Sabatier reactor.

15 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising increasing a pressure of the exhaust of the combustion gas turbine delivered to the CO 2 membrane system with a blower fluidly coupled between the combustion gas turbine and the CO 2 membrane system.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2023
From: ALOWAIYDH, HAMAD M.; FARSI, AYMAN M.; ALTHAGAFI, GHASSAN M.
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 065273/0150 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250129300A1 · Apr 24, 2025
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