A Combined Process for Natural Gas Sweetening and Water Desalination

Abstract

CO 2 removal from sour natural gas, from the water desalination power plants and similar sources is important not only to the these industries but also to reduce the effect on global warming. In this study, a simple process is investigated experimentally to remove CO 2 from a synthetic mixture of natural gas containing it. The method is based on the modified Solvay process and involves the chemical reaction between CO 2 and ammonia in saline solution (production water from oil refining or brine from desalination plant). The products are sodium bicarbonate, an useful chemical and an aqueous solution containing ammonium chloride that can be used as irrigation water. Economically, the process is potentially much more cost effective than the amine scrubbing process, without the operational problems or potential for environmental damage posed by monoethanolamine organic compounds.