METHOD OF PROCESSING NATURAL GAS Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: natural gas processing. SUBSTANCE: method allows for gradually separating gas stream using cooling operation between separation steps, adding inhibitor of concentrated methanol hydrate formation, withdrawing liquid phase from separators, separating liquid phase into hydrocarbon and water- methanol phases, and feeding the latter into gas flow before separation steps. Amount of hydrate formation inhibitor added is determined from the following inequality: G≥0,38•P•(T_g+10)/(18+1,3•P+T_g), where G is 93-98% (wt) methanol intake in kg per 1 t of condensate, P pressure in methanol introduction point in MPa, and T_g hydrate formation temperature in that point. According to invention, inhibitor is introduced into liquid hydrocarbon phase from the first separation step, resulting mixture is cooled to a temperature from -10 to -25 C and brought in countercurrent contact with separated gas flow in the last separation step. Liquid phases from this step are then combined with those from intermediate separation steps, combined stream is heated to -1 to -6 C and separated into hydrocarbon phase (designed for consumer), gas and water-methanol phases which are returned into gas flow before preceding separation steps. Method is designed to be applied to processing gas before its transportation. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency of process. 1 dwg, 1 tbl