Leverage process modeling to optimize gas gathering, compression and processing to lower costs and maximize profitability
Solutions for gas processing of conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons including shale gas
The AspenTech solution for the midstream industry is part of the overall aspenONE® for Exploration & Production (E&P) solution. It provides integrated solutions for engineering, monitoring and operational decision support of your midstream assets from gathering networks and pipelines to compressors and processing facilities. By delivering performance improvements across engineering design and operations, these solutions translate into millions of dollars in bottom-line benefits.
The midstream segment focuses on processing hydrocarbons produced from assets developed by E&P companies. The business of midstream companies is to gather gas from producers, transport it to the midstream operator’s gas processing facilities, and separate the raw gas into valuable natural gas (methane) from heavier streams comprising of a mix of natural gas liquids (NGL) and smaller quantities of condensate or light crude oil. Natural gas is sold as a clean burning fuel and utility to homes, power plants, and other industrial and commercial energy consumers. It is also sold as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) for export and to a smaller extent as compressed natural gas for automobiles. NGLs are valuable feedstock for petrochemical plants (e.g., ethylene) and the condensate is blended with heavier crude oils to be processed in oil refineries to make transportation fuels and other products such as gasoline, kerosene, and diesel.
The midstream segment in North America has experienced significant growth in the last few years as production of shale gas and other unconventional oil and gas (e.g., tight gas, coal bed methane) has surged. Shale gas production has soared due to E&P innovations such as directional (horizontal) drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking). These developments have made it possible to economically produce massive amounts of shale gas which was not possible earlier with traditional E&P techniques. This has led to the discovery and rejuvenation of many shale oil and gas formations. As a result, it has spawned a whole new industry in certain parts of North America. Oil and gas is a global industry and the developments in North America have attracted the attention of various countries and companies, many of whom are discovering their own shale gas formations worldwide. In most other parts of the world the production, processing, compression, liquefaction and delivery of gas is part of the E&P industry and not a separate midstream segment.
The AspenTech solution for midstream helps companies to:
- Shorten the time and reduce errors from conceptual design to handover to operations of gathering networks, compressor stations, and processing facilities
- Control and optimize gathering system performance, including flow assurance, through accurate modeling of multi-phase flow and pipeline hydraulics
- Use modeling tools to assist with facilities planning, debottlenecking studies, expansions and acquisitions
- Design solutions for the separation of impurities and gas sweetening
- Optimize decision making with industry-leading simulation and optimization tools
AspenTech’s solution for Midstream primarily comprises of the following application:
- AspenTech’s Engineering suite for Midstream – This is a subset of the aspenONE® Engineering for Exploration & Production solution, which helps drive operational excellence and profitability through optimal process design and operations.