Optimizing the Utilization of Natural Gas Condensate through the Separation of n-Paraffins

Abstract

To improve the utilization efficiency of gas condensate and effect the proper use of the hydrocarbon components, AKS gas condensate was separated, through the use of a fixed-bed adsorption process employing 5A molecular sieves, into the raffinate oil which is rich in non-normal hydrocarbons and the desorption oil which is rich in n-paraffins. The adsorption breakthrough curves of n-paraffins were investigated. Relative to the gas condensate, the aromatic potential content and the research octane number (RON) of the raffinate oil increased by 12.9% and by over 20 units, respectively. As a result, the raffinate oil is more suitable for use as the feedstock in the catalytic reforming process and as the blending component of high-octane gasoline. Under similar conditions, the ethylene yield of the steam cracking process using the desorption oil as the feedstock increased by 6.5% compared to the situation when the gas condensate was employed as the feedstock.