SPE 9996 Gas Compressor Design & Operation

SPE societu of
Wro#eutn En@nesrs

by Robert G. Littlefield,* /ngerso// Rand Co.

Member SPE-AIME
Copyright 1982, Society of Petroleum Engineers This paper was presented at the International Petroleum Exhibition and Technical Symposium of the Society of Petroleum Engineers held in Bejing, China, 18.26 March, 1982. The material is subject to correction by the author. Permission to copy is restricted 10 an af)slract of not more than 300 words. Wrile SPE, 62OONorth Central Expressway, Dallas, Texas, 75208 USA. Telex 730969

P. BSTRACT Oil and gas production requires compression of gases involving considerable range of initial inlet and final discharge pressures as well as widely varying volumes. Frequently the applications are further complicated by the gas containing H2S or entrained liquids and equipment space/weight limitations imposed by offshore platform designs or semi-portability due to future relocation plans onshore. The manufacturers of compressors, engines and gas turbines have responded to these requirements with a broad selection of power and compressor machinery to make possible an optimum selection for any given installation. INTRODUCTION Natural gas produced from gas wells or associated with crude oil producti.o~-, will almost always require compression at some point before reaching the ultimate user. Compression of inert gas and C02 is also used to enhance crude oil production in many fields. These compressor follows: typical oil applications and gas can be production listed as

These appl~.cations can occur offshore or onshore. Thz gas engineer must consider the following items relative to the application and location of equipment being studied: Reliability Initial Cost Cost o? Installing Fuel Consumption/ Efficiency Maintenance Cost Weight and Space Limitations Length of Run Between Planned Shutdown Ease of Movement to New Locations Adaptabilityto Remote Operation The above items are not in order of importance; such with a given application. THEORY For a given compressor application there is an optimum selection of compressor and driver to best meet the above items of consideration. This requires an evaluation of the two or three most practical equipment selections which can be applied. EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE of Gas Compressors available: necessarily order will

vary

. .

Field Gas Gathering Feed to Gas Treatment or Gas Plant Gas Lift or Injection Pipeline Transmission Gas Underground Storage

Types

Illustrations

at

end

of

paper.

Sliding Vane Type Rotary Compressors Screw or Lobe Type Compressors High speed Reciprocating Separable Compressor: (900 to 1500 RPM)

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Low speed Reciprocating Sep arable Compressors (Below 900 RPM) Reciprocating Integral Engine Compressors Centrifugal Compressors All of these compressors are positive Posdisplacement type except centrifugal. itivc displacement compressors develop pressure by a lobe, vane or piston displacing a Cenvolume of gas in a casing or cylinder. trifugal compressors develop pressure by imparting velocity to gas and converting to pressure in diffuser or volute casings. Types of Drivers Available Gas Production Compressors:
High

separable comp~essors are used when the application calls for medium to small volumes and discharge pressures are medium to high range. This type compressor offers multicylinder design for multi-staqing as necessary. The opposed cylinder arrangement lend itself to a well-balanced compressor and the compressor and engine is of speed, size and weight to permit a unitized skid package for ease of field installation and later possible relocation. The industry trend is to reduce field installation cost and time by performing all The piping and fabrication in the factory. separable units lend themselves to this abil ity in range of KW from 35 to 2300. When gas turbine drivers are preferred they can be used to drive separable compressors through a gear. Due to minimizing unbalanced forces, space and weight for reciprotating compressors, separable type units are frequently used on offshore platforms. Low Speed Reciprocating Compressors : Separable

for

Oil

and

Speed Reciprocating Engines Integral Reciprocating Gas Turbines Less frequently: Electric Motors Steam Turbines

Engines

The proper combination of driver and compressor deserves careful consideratioii. Mechanically, a rotary or centrifugal compressor is most adaptable to a motor, steam turbine or gas turbine driver as rotating speeds are most compatible and problems with Likewise, a retorsional are minimized. ciprocatincj compressor rotating speed can match a reciprocating engine RPM in most cases. Speed increasing or decreasing gears should be used only when economics of applicztion dictate a mismatch of driver and compressor operating speeds. CHARACTERISTICS Screw, Lobe OF AVAILABLE Type COMPRESSORS Compressors:

These machines are similar to high speed separable except they are larger and have more KW capacity - up to 12,000. The adaptation of these compressors for oil and gas production has usually been limited to permanent onshore installations where elcctric motor or medium speed engine drivers can be used. This type compressor is very but cannot be packaged as easily speed equipment. Integral-Engine Compressors: efficient as higher

or Vane

These compressors are frequently used on gas gathering applications where compression ratios are lo: and discharge pressures are 1 to 2.0 Kg/Cm . The screw and lobe type machines have the capability to handle entrained liquid which has advantages in many low pressure gas gathering requirements. Space and weight characteristics are favorable and mechanically these machines are quite simpl e. They are adaptable to electric motor and high speed engine drivers. High Speed Compressors Skid Reciprocating : Separable high spee d

These compressors are used on applications where reciprocating compressors fit the volume - pressure conditions better thar centrifugal, where engine power is desirable, fuel consumption critical and KW required is larger than high-speed separable can reach. Integral-engine compressors are available up to 10,000 KW range. Small integral-engine compressor units are also available for gas gathering services, These engines have comparable fuel rates to high speed reciprocating engines which are in the range of 7500 to 9000 BTU per HP hour depending upon particular design. Large integral compressors have the advantage of lowest fuel consumption based on BTU per HP hour of operation without use of Guarantees are heat recovery from exhaust. offered as low as 6400 or 40% thermal effiThe engine-compressors are relaciency. tively low rotating speed (300 - 500 RPM)

mounted,

self-contained

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and therefore are considered very dependable, long life and low maintenance type maUnfortunately they usually cost chines. more than comparable separable or centrifu~al equipment and are heavier. Smaller integrals can be packaged and skid mounted (up to about 1800 KW) but larger ones usually have to be grouted on concrete foundations in the field, which also increases installed cost. Centrifugal Compressors:

relative tions.

to

conditions

of

typical

applica-

Guidelines Drivers

to

SELECTION

of

Compressor

Table No. 2 lists the engineering acteristics relative to conditions of cal compression applications.

chartypi-

These compressors are best adapted for larger volumes and low-to-medium discharge As required pressures to be developed. flows get lower and pressures higher, the efficiency of Cer.trifugal Comprc.ssors tend to be unacceptable as may initial cost. Howevert the application of Centrifugal Compressors to the oil and gas industry is increasinu as manufacturers have developed reliable and efficient compressors for lower volumes and higher pressures. Offshore platforms sometimes dictate use of Centrifugal Compressors due to space and loading of the structure which are usually lower for Centrifugal than for comHigh volparable Reciprocating machinery. ume compression applications may best fit a Centrifugal selection, meeting all the parameters of lowest installed cost, high effihigh reliability ~nd lowest weight ciency, and space requirements. When gas turbine drivers are desirable to use, Centrifugal Compressors have an advantage due to similar rotating speeds and torque. Care must be taken in selecting Centrifugal Compressors for oil and gas production as they are not positive displacement compressors. Changes in molecular weight of the gas affet pressures developed and they are less fo ;iving concerning entrained liquid or other contamination in gas stream. Centrifugals driven by constant speed drivers are particularly limited in flow reguFuture foreseeable change in operlation. ating points should be carefully considered in selecting Centrifugal Compressors as must be avoided and they surge conditions are much more sensitive to change in pressure conditions then positive displacement compressors. Centrifugal Compressors are mechanical ly relatively simple and where properly applied, should provide ultimate in reliability and low maintenance. Guidelines Table No. features to SELECTION of Compressors

Example 1: Application calls for gaseous fueled pipeline compressor of approximately 2800 KW requiring large volume of natural gas at elevated pressures. Fuel cost is high, maximum reliability is needed, long runs between overhaul is desirable. Location is onshore and operation may be conducted by remote control. Reviewing the tables, the gas engineer would select compressor and drivers indicating most E to G ratings and in this case would evaluate closely Integral engine-comp.ressor and gas turbine driven Centrifugal Compressor for final decision. Example 2: Application calls for 2100 KW compressors medium volume of gas on effshore platform boosting from 40Kg/Cm2 to 2 for injection. 200 Kg/Cm Gaseous fuel is available at moderate price; some electrical power is also available. Reliability, mai.ntenance and efficiency is important but spac~ and w?ight limitations are severe. Assuming the volumes are too small for practical Centrifugal Compressorr the charts would suggest the gas engineer first closely evaluate high speed reciprocating compressor both engine and motor driven. A gas turbine driven or motor driven multi-stage casin3 arrangement would also merit review to establish if such installation is practical. CONCLUSIONS The oil and gas industry poses a variet! of gas compression applications and requirements, Manufacturers of compressors and drivers for same have developed different types of machinery to fit almost every conceivable demand. The gas engineer m~st select two or three plausible solutions to a compressor problem and evaluate each relative to major items of consideration. The above summaries and tables ease the approach to this end.

eering

1 lists the for various

adaptable engincompressors

TABLE

COMPARATIVE GUIDELINES TO SELECTION OF COMPRESSORS

cOMPRESSOR TYPE
Low Pressure Screw or Lobe Low Pressure Sliding Vane H.S. Recip Separable L.S. Recip Separable Integral Comp. Integral Engine Large Engine

E G-P G E
.
L

E E E

E E E

G G G E E E E-G

E F G E E E E

E E E F F G E
G - Good

E F G G E E E
F - Fair

E E E P G-P G-F G-P

P- Poor

E E G G G E E

G G E E E G F-P

G-F G-F G-P G-P G-F G-F E-F E

Comp. Small Centrifugal

E E

Rating Symbols: E - Excellent

TABLE 2

COMPARATIVE GUIDELINES TO SELECTION OF GAS COMPRESSOR DRIVERS

DRIVER TYPE
High Speed Reciprocal Engine Integral Eng. Comp.

G E E G E

G E G* G-P E

G E E E E

E F E E E

G E E E E

E P E P E-P

GE GE EF FF EG

F P E E E

Gas
Turbine SIeam

G-P G-P G-P E-F G E-G G E

Electric Motor

Rating Symbols G - Good F - Fair P- Poor Thermal Efficiency oan be increased by use of Recu&ator and Waste Exhaust Heaf Recovery. Exhaust Heal Recoverv can alsobe ulilized somelimes on Reclprocatlng Engines.

FIGURE

TYPICAL

MULTI-STAGE CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

Developed Pressure 0/0 C)eslg n

120

100

80

60

\.
Wwght al IXwgn Speed.

Reduced Speed or Lowering of 40

20

i I I I I I
I

Molecular

20

40

60

80 Flow - % Design

100

120

140