Application Note: Verax™ Analyzer

IntroductionCondensate has been coming in from gathering systems for years and has been handled in different ways. However, the industry’s focus on liquids-rich resource plays has elevated the focus on condensates and how they should be handled. Numerous factors–varying from economical to environmental drivers–have contributed to this change in priorities, but U.S. condensate production has increased in step with activity in shale plays.

Condensate is lighter than crude oil, but heavier than natural gas liquids. The issue with condensate in its natural form is that the lighter hydrocarbons can make it dangerous to store and transport. Therefore, stabilizing is required to allow the condensate to meet specifications. Often, the condensate is pumped to a sales storage tank, where it will flash off its lighter hydrocarbon components. These are usually captured through vapor recovery compression in order to prevent venting to the atmosphere, which results in lost revenues and potential emission issues.

In many cases, however, liquids pricing makes it advantageous to further process the demethanized condensate to produce a saleable condensate product with a target Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) or True Vapor Pressure (TVP). To accomplish this, a second stabilizer is placed in the process immediately downstream of the first. The demethanized liquids are sent to another liquid/liquid exchanger to be warmed, and are then fed to the top tray of the RVP control stabilizer. (Fig1)

Measuring the RVP of stabilized condensate in the midstream gathering and stabilization facilities of the more recent shale oil fields has proven to be a very difficult analysis due to the amount of paraffin in the condensate stream. Conventional ASTM methods have proven mostly unsuccessful.

Measurement ProblemsMaking this analysis with a conventional ASTM method requires the sample stream to be measured

at 100°F (for RVP), which is well below the condensing point of the paraffin present in the typical condensate stream. This will cause plugging of sample lines and measurement cells in a traditional RVP analyzer which will cause failure of the device.

SolutionsThe JP3 Verax analyzer utilizes NIR spectroscopy to identify the components in the condensate that will directly determine the RVP or TVP and model the actual RVP of the stabilized condensate. The Verax also has the ability to report the actual hydro-carbon composition along with the vapor pressure information, making a significantly more powerful tool for midstream process control.

The Verax has two optical probes that are in contact with the process and will usually have a heater blanket on them to prevent them from being the heat sink for the paraffin that is typically in these condensate streams. The optical probes can be mounted directly on the stabilizer outlet while the process is still at the higher temperatures which will keep the paraffin in a liquid phase.

Condensate RVP and TVP

Fig.1 Typical Stabilizer

Application Note: Verax™ Analyzer

NGL (Y-Grade) Stream The Verax can speciate the C2-C3 hydrocarbon split and also monitor the potential C1 contaminant.

9 psi RVP Stabilized Condensate The Verax is successfully measuring stabilized condensate RVP in both the Eagle Ford and the Marcellus shale fields.

Vapor Recovery Unit The Verax can report composition of the hydrocarbon stream and report C6+ and BTU of the recovered gases.

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SPECIFICATIONSFluid Streams (Max 8 per Analyzer) Type: natural gas, NGLs, LPG, condensate, crude oil; Phase: liquid or gas

Composition & Property Analyses C1-C6+ Mol% ±0.5% repeatability ; RVP & TVP ±0.5 psi ; API Gravity or BTU ±0.5% repeatabilityMoisture(H2O) >1%

Carbondioxide (CO2) >1%Sample System NoneCalibration Gas None

Verification Fluid Varies by applicationLine Pressure 0-1500 psig

Line Temperature -10°to 150°FLine Flow Rate 1.0 gpm minimum; no maximum

Response Time 10-30 seconds per analysis pointDetection Method NIR spectroscopy with inline optical probes

ELECTRICALInput Power 3.5A @ 24VDC standard; 100-240 VAC optional

Communications TCP/IP, MODBUS TCP and Serial (others available upon request)Outputs 8 solid state relays for process control; 2 analog 4-20 mA /0-10 VDC outputs standard;

configurable alarms/controlsPHYSICAL

Enclosures NEMA 4X IP 67 powder coated aluminumDimensions Top Control Panel: 24”W x 30”H x 10”D; Bottom Control Panel: 24”W x 24”H x 10”D

Weight Combined Top & Bottom Control Panels:90 lbs.; Probe Assembly: 5 lbs.Ambient -20°to 50°C (-4°to 122°F). No environmental control required; sunshade required if >90°F

Classification Control Panel with Z-Purge: Class 1 Div2; Control Panel without Purge: General Purpose; Probe Assembly: Intrinsically Safe /Class 1 Div1

Condensate Vapor Pressure

Verax 75 Analyzer