Generate Hydrogen as Fuel at Natural Gas Processing Plant to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions

A method of operating a natural gas processing plant, comprising:

• receiving feed natural gas from a wellhead;
• removing impurities comprising acid gas, water, and hydrocarbons from the feed natural gas to give product natural gas;
• providing fuel to a burner;
• combusting the fuel via the burner to provide heat for a boiler to generate steam;
• generating additional steam with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG);
• discharging blowdown water from the boiler and the HRSG;
• electrolyzing the blowdown water via a water electrolysis unit, thereby generating hydrogen gas, wherein the water electrolysis unit comprises an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte;
• and
• combining a first portion of the hydrogen gas with the fuel provided to the burner.

A method of operating a natural gas processing plant, comprising:

• receiving feed natural gas from a wellhead system coupled to a wellbore through which the feed natural gas is produced from a subterranean formation;
• processing the feed natural gas for provision of natural gas as product, wherein the processing comprises removing acid gas, water, and hydrocarbons having a greater molecular mass than methane from the feed natural gas;
• discharging blowdown water from a boiler and a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) to an evaporation pond;
• diverting a portion of the blowdown water before reaching the evaporation pond;
• treating the portion to reduce conductivity of the portion and subjecting the portion to electrolysis, thereby generating hydrogen gas;
• combusting fuel and a first portion of the hydrogen gas in a furnace associated with the boiler or the HRSG, or both, to generate steam.