Refinery Acid Gas Removal Unit (AGRU) and Amine Treating

What is Amine Scrubbing (Acid Gas Removal)?

Amine scrubbing/acid gas removal processes utilize amines or specialty solvents to remove acid gases such as H2S and/or CO2 from Refinery Fuel Gas (RFG) to meet the gas quality specifications. The sour gas is contacted with lean amine in the contactor tower. An acid-base reaction occurs, binding the acid gases to the amine with a weak bond. The rich amine then flows to a regenerator, where heat breaks the weak bond between the amine and the acid gas, releasing the acid gas and regenerating the amine for re-use.

The acid gases exit the top of the regenerator for further treatment while the lean amine is recirculated back to the contactor in a recirculating loop. Liquid amine treating can also be used to remove H2S from Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG). In this case a liquid-liquid contactor is used to contact the lean amine with the liquid LPG.

What are the benefits of acid gas removal?

• Achieve oil production quotas via reliable treatment of acid gases that otherwise bottleneck unit operations
• Provide consistent fuel gas quality to ensure reliability of all burner operations across the refinery
• Minimize refinery off gas emissions through effective acid contaminant removal from the RFG

Production Challenge/Pall Solution for Amine Scrubbing

Key Application in Acid Gas Removal Process/ (other applications not shown)