Technical paper
Compositional variety complicates processing plans for US shale gas
Recently higher gas prices and improved drilling technology have spurred shale gas drilling across the US. Some of the more popular areas are the Barnett, Haynesville, and Fayetteville shales in the South and the Marcellus, New Albany, and Antrim shales in the East and Midwest. These plays represent a large portion of current and future gas production. But all shale gas is not the same, and gas processing requirements for shale gas can vary from area to area. As a result, shale gas processors must be concerned about elevated ethane and nitrogen levels across a field. Other concerns are the increased requirements of urban gas processing. In addition, the rapid production growth in emerging shale areas can be difficult to handle. This article reviews which gas processing technologies are appropriate for the variety of US shale gas qualities being produced and planned to be produced and reviews regional gas processing capacities to handle current and future production of shale gas.
Recently higher gas prices and improved drilling technology have spurred shale gas drilling across the US. Some of the more popular areas are the Barnett, Haynesville, and Fayetteville shales in the South and the Marcellus, New Albany, and Antrim shales in the East and Midwest. These plays represent a large portion of current and future gas production. But all shale gas is not the same, and gas processing requirements for shale gas can vary from area to area. As a result, shale gas processors must be concerned about elevated ethane and nitrogen levels across a field. Other concerns are the increased requirements of urban gas processing. In addition, the rapid production growth in emerging shale areas can be difficult to handle. This article reviews which gas processing technologies are appropriate for the variety of US shale gas qualities being produced and planned to be produced and reviews regional gas processing capacities to handle current and future production of shale gas.