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Fractionation (US)
Practical Law Glossary Item w-026-1614 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Fractionation (US)
This is the process by which the stream of natural gas liquids (NGLs) resulting from gas processing is separated into distinct products or fractions with different revenue streams. The different products are:
- Ethane, which is used in plastics production and as raw materials in different products, including antifreeze and detergent.
- Propane, which is used in residential and commercial heating, cooking fuel, small stoves, and petrochemical feedstock. Some vehicles also use propane as fuel.
- Butane, which can be blended with gasoline and propane. They are also used as refrigerants and to produce synthetic rubber for tires and lighter fuel. Combined with propane, butane becomes liquefied petroleum gas.
- Isobutane, which is used in aerosols and refrigerants.
- Natural gasoline (this is a mix of pentanes and heavier molecules).
Fractionation occurs in stages, separating each component from the stream of mixed NGLs based on the different boiling points of the hydrocarbons in the NGL stream. The stages are, in order:
- Ethane is separated from the NGL stream using a deethanizer.
- Propane is separated using a depropanizer.
- Butanes are boiled off in a debutanizer leaving the pentanes and heavier hydrocarbons in the NGL stream.
- Isobutane and normal butanes are separated from the wet gas stream using a butane splitter or deisobutanizer.
For more information on fractionation, see: