Crude oil composition estimation method, absorption process simulation method in absorption and liquefaction system, process simulation method in recovery system, and method of producing absorption and liquefaction system

An absorption process simulation method in an absorption and liquefaction system, the absorption process simulation method comprising:

• simulating a material balance of a process in the absorption and liquefaction system under changed conditions including a size of the absorption and liquefaction system, a flow rate of vapors absorbed and liquefied in the absorption and liquefaction system, a flow rate of crude oil, temperature, and pressure, based on a concentration for each component of the vapors and a composition of the crude oil estimated by a crude oil composition estimation method, the crude oil composition estimation method including:
• performing an absorption test of absorbing test gas of the vapors with the crude oil and measuring concentration for each component of the test gas and concentration for each component of treated gas discharged after part of the test gas is absorbed with the crude oil;
• creating a simulated composition of the crude oil with a composition of a concentration for each hypothetical component represented by a boiling point, based on crude oil open data indicating properties of the crude oil;
• setting a concentration for each component included in the crude oil obtained by substituting hypothetical components of the created simulated composition of the crude oil with respective corresponding actual hydrocarbon components, as input values to a simulation;
• simulating a material balance of an absorption process of absorbing the test gas with the crude oil in the absorption test, based on the concentration for each component included in the crude oil and the concentration for each component of the test gas measured in the absorption test;
• comparing the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test;
• estimating, at a time the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation agrees with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, that the concentration for each component included in the crude oil is a correct crude oil composition;
• and
• repeating, at a time the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation does not agree with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, a process of correcting the concentration for each component included in the crude oil and then comparing the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, until the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation agrees with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, and, at a time there is an agreement, estimating that the corrected concentration for each component included in the crude oil is a correct crude oil composition.

A process simulation method in a recovery system, the process simulation method comprising:

• simulating an overall process in the recovery system that recovers vapors by a membrane separation process of allowing hydrocarbons to selectively pass through or a gas separation process using an adsorbent selectively adsorbing hydrocarbons, in combination with an absorption process of absorbing the vapors with the crude oil that is simulated by an absorption process simulation method in an absorption and liquefaction system, the absorption process simulation method including:
• simulating a material balance of a process in the absorption and liquefaction system under changed conditions including a size of the absorption and liquefaction system, a flow rate of vapors absorbed and liquefied in the absorption and liquefaction system, a flow rate of crude oil, temperature, and pressure, based on a concentration for each component of the vapors and a composition of the crude oil estimated by a crude oil composition estimation method, the crude oil composition estimation method including:
• performing an absorption test of absorbing test gas of the vapors with the crude oil and measuring concentration for each component of the test gas and concentration for each component of treated gas discharged after part of the test gas is absorbed with the crude oil;
• creating a simulated composition of the crude oil with a composition of a concentration for each hypothetical component represented by a boiling point, based on crude oil open data indicating properties of the crude oil;
• setting a concentration for each component included in the crude oil obtained by substituting hypothetical components of the created simulated composition of the crude oil with respective corresponding actual hydrocarbon components, as input values to a simulation;
• simulating a material balance of an absorption process of absorbing the test gas with the crude oil in the absorption test, based on the concentration for each component included in the crude oil and the concentration for each component of the test gas measured in the absorption test;
• comparing the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test;
• estimating, at a time the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation agrees with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, that the concentration for each component included in the crude oil is a correct crude oil composition;
• and
• repeating, at a time the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation does not agree with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, a process of correcting the concentration for each component included in the crude oil and then comparing the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, until the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation agrees with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, and, at a time there is an agreement, estimating that the corrected concentration for each component included in the crude oil is a correct crude oil composition.

A method of producing an absorption and liquefaction system, the method comprising:

• simulating a material balance of an absorption process in the absorption and liquefaction system under changed conditions including a size of the absorption and liquefaction system, a flow rate of the vapors, a flow rate of the crude oil, temperature, and pressure, by an absorption process simulation method in the absorption and liquefaction system;
• and
• producing the absorption and liquefaction system with specifications determined based on a result of the simulation,
• wherein the absorption process simulation method includes:
• simulating a material balance of a process in the absorption and liquefaction system under changed conditions including a size of the absorption and liquefaction system, a flow rate of vapors absorbed and liquefied in the absorption and liquefaction system, a flow rate of crude oil, temperature, and pressure, based on a concentration for each component of the vapors and a composition of the crude oil estimated by a crude oil composition estimation method, the crude oil composition estimation method including:
• performing an absorption test of absorbing test gas of the vapors with the crude oil and measuring concentration for each component of the test gas and concentration for each component of treated gas discharged after part of the test gas is absorbed with the crude oil;
• creating a simulated composition of the crude oil with a composition of a concentration for each hypothetical component represented by a boiling point, based on crude oil open data indicating properties of the crude oil;
• setting a concentration for each component included in the crude oil obtained by substituting hypothetical components of the created simulated composition of the crude oil with respective corresponding actual hydrocarbon components, as input values to a simulation;
• simulating a material balance of an absorption process of absorbing the test gas with the crude oil in the absorption test, based on the concentration for each component included in the crude oil and the concentration for each component of the test gas measured in the absorption test;
• comparing the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test;
• estimating, at a time the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation agrees with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, that the concentration for each component included in the crude oil is a correct crude oil composition;
• and
• repeating, at a time the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation does not agree with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, a process of correcting the concentration for each component included in the crude oil and then comparing the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, until the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation agrees with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, and, at a time there is an agreement, estimating that the corrected concentration for each component included in the crude oil is a correct crude oil composition.

A method of producing a recovery system, the method comprising:

• simulating an overall process in the recovery system by a process simulation method in a recovery system;
• and
• producing the recovery system with specifications determined based on a result of the simulation,
• wherein the process simulation method includes:
• simulating an overall process in the recovery system that recovers vapors by a membrane separation process of allowing hydrocarbons to selectively pass through or a gas separation process using an adsorbent selectively adsorbing hydrocarbons, in combination with an absorption process of absorbing the vapors with the crude oil that is simulated by an absorption process simulation method in an absorption and liquefaction system, the absorption process simulation method including:
• simulating a material balance of a process in the absorption and liquefaction system under changed conditions including a size of the absorption and liquefaction system, a flow rate of vapors absorbed and liquefied in the absorption and liquefaction system, a flow rate of crude oil, temperature, and pressure, based on a concentration for each component of the vapors and a composition of the crude oil estimated by a crude oil composition estimation method, the crude oil composition estimation method including:
• performing an absorption test of absorbing test gas of the vapors with the crude oil and measuring concentration for each component of the test gas and concentration for each component of treated gas discharged after part of the test gas is absorbed with the crude oil;
• creating a simulated composition of the crude oil with a composition of a concentration for each hypothetical component represented by a boiling point, based on crude oil open data indicating properties of the crude oil;
• setting a concentration for each component included in the crude oil obtained by substituting hypothetical components of the created simulated composition of the crude oil with respective corresponding actual hydrocarbon components, as input values to a simulation;
• simulating a material balance of an absorption process of absorbing the test gas with the crude oil in the absorption test, based on the concentration for each component included in the crude oil and the concentration for each component of the test gas measured in the absorption test;
• comparing the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test;
• estimating, at a time the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation agrees with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, that the concentration for each component included in the crude oil is a correct crude oil composition;
• and
• repeating, at a time the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation does not agree with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, a process of correcting the concentration for each component included in the crude oil and then comparing the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, until the concentration for each component of the treated gas calculated by the simulation agrees with the concentration for each component of the treated gas measured in the absorption test, and, at a time there is an agreement, estimating that the corrected concentration for each component included in the crude oil is a correct crude oil composition.