Centrifugal Compressor Wet Seals

Seal Oil De-gassing & Control

Muhammad Hussain Imran

Centrifugal Compressor Wet Seals
High pressure seal oil circulates
between rings around the compressor
shaft
Oil absorbs the gas on the inboard side
Little gas leaks through the oil seal
Seal oil degassing typically vents
methane to the atmosphere
Seal oil degassing may vent 40 to
200 scf/minute

Traditional Solution: Retrofitting/Installing Dry Seals

Mechanical seal that keeps gas from escaping
while rotating with the shaft.
0.4 to 2.8 scf/min leak rate – significantly less
than from wet seals
Cost-effective option for new compressors
Significant capital costs and downtime for
retrofitting compressors
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Background of North Slope Study
Natural Gas STAR learned of anecdotal information on this
potential mitigation opportunity a few years back
Developed a theoretical example and presented to Natural Gas STAR
Partners at workshops and in the Spring 2009 Newsletter
In taking measurements, BP identified wet seal gas recovery
systems on centrifugal compressors at its North Slope facilities
BP’s initial results showed recovery of >99% of seal oil gas that would be
otherwise vented to atmosphere from degassing tank
Led to BP and Natural Gas STAR collaboration on detailed
measurement study of alternative wet seal capture mitigation
opportunity
Recovery system that separates gas from the sour seal oil before being sent to
the degassing tank
Recovered gas sent to various outlets: flare purge, low pressure fuel, turbine
fuel ~273 psig (18.6 Bar), compressor suction
System leads to lower emissions from degassing tank vent (more details on
following slides)
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Overview of North Slope Operations

Six Flow Stations

~100 Centrifugal Compressors

All but a few with Wet Seals
All Wet Seal machines
equipped with recovery system
Pressures: 3 psi suction =>
4,700 psi discharge
Fluids range from propane
through wet gas to dry gas

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Sour Seal Oil Vapor Recovery System: CCP

Restrictive Orifice
~ 275 psi 1/16”

4
Seal Oil Degassing Separators

Seal Oil
Degassing
Pots

5
Seal Oil Degassing Separator/System

Restrictive
Orifice
(note frost from
expansion cooling

6
Early Results: BP Measurements of CCP
Table shows initial measurements taken by BP from a low- and high-
pressure compressor at CCP before study
Used nitrogen as “tracer gas” to calculate methane and total hydrocarbon
flow-rates from vents
Recovered Gas: 0.92 MMSCFD LP; 3.7 MMSCFD HP Turbine Fuel
High-Pressure Low-Pressure
Compressor Compressor
Nitrogen Purge Rate (SCF/Hr) 33 25
Vent Analysis (mole%)
Nitrogen 43.846 86.734
Methane 37.872 6.93
Total Hydrocarbon + CO2 56.1540 13.2660

Total Methane Vent Flow (SCFM) 0.4751 0.0333

Total Vent Gas Flow (SCFM) 0.7044 0.0637

Number of Seals 2 2
Total Methane Vent Flow (SCFM/Seal) 0.2375 0.0166

Total Vent Gas Flow (SCFM/Seal) 0.3522 0.0319

“Average" Total Gas/Seal (Including

Recovered) (SCFM) 108 108
Control Effectiveness 0.997 1.000
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Preliminary results: Velocity Measurements CCP Velocit y Readings - During Study

Table shows Facility Compressor Tag Compressor description

# of Seals 1 Min
per Tank Vent size Mean
1 Min
Mean
1 Min
Mean
Vent
Area ft2 fpm scf/min
N2 Purge
scf/min
in m/s m/s m/s
vane CCP K-18-1801 1st Stage Injection comp Degassing Tank Vent
Seal Oil Reservoir
2 2 0.36 0.38 0.28 0.022 66.9 1.5

Vent 4 0.35 0.34 0.37 0.087 69.5 6.1

anemometer CCP K-18-1809
2nd Stage Injection
comp Degassing Tank Vent 2 2 0.42 0.4 0.2 0.022 66.9 1.5

measurements Seal Oil Reservoir

Vent 4
Velocity Readings - Prior to Study
0.6 0.57 0.81 0.087 129.9 11.3

taken prior to K-E3-

END 1510/20/30A
K-E3-
Main A (1st, 2nd, 3rd
stages) Degassing Tank Vent 6 2 0.86 0.8 0.48 0.022 140.4 3.1

and during the END 1510/20/30A

K-E3-
second vent

Main B (1st, 2nd, 3rd

Degassing Tank Vent 6 6 0.87 0.52 0.71 0.196 137.8 27.1
30.1

study END

END
1510/20/30B
K-E3-
1510/20/30B
stages)

second vent
Degassing Tank Vent

Degassing Tank Vent

6

6
2

6
3.84

2.68
3.5

2.14
3.15

4.67
0.022

0.196
688.1

622.5
15.0

122.3
137.3
Full results of END C-1501/02B
Booster B (1st & 2nd
stages) Degassing Tank Vent 2 2 0.64 0.42 0.67 0.022 113.5 2.5
END C-1501/02B second vent Degassing Tank Vent 2 2 0.54 0.39 0.46 0.021825 91.2 2.0
study are not yet 4.5

final, but initial LPC

LPC
LPC
K-52-1807
K-52-1808
K-42-1801
Reinjection Compressors
Reinjection Compressors
STV/IP Compressors
Degassing Tank Vent
Degassing Tank Vent
Degassing Tank Vent
2

2
2
2
2
0.82
1.44
0.82
0.91
1.73
0.93
0.83
1.6
1.06
0.022
0.022
0.022
167.9
312.9
184.3
3.7
6.8
4.0

results from CCP LPC K-42-1801 Second vent Degassing Tank Vent 4 0.96 0.58 0.52 0.087 135.1 11.8
15.8

measurements CCP
CCP
CCP
K-18-1801
K-18-1802
K-18-1803
1st Stage Injection comp
1st Stage Injection comp
1st Stage Injection comp
Degassing Tank Vent
Degassing Tank Vent
Degassing Tank Vent
2
2
2
2
2
2
0.3
0.54
0.45
0.33
0.56
0.15
0.32
0.45
0.19
0.022
0.022
0.022
62.3
101.7
51.8
1.4
2.2
1.1

show generally CCP

CCP
CCP
K-18-1804
K-18-1805
K-18-1806
1st Stage Injection comp
1st Stage Injection comp
1st Stage Injection comp
Degassing Tank Vent
Degassing Tank Vent
Degassing Tank Vent
2
2
2
2
2
2
0.05
2.65
0.38
0.17
2.67
0.74
0.06
2.52
0.56
0.022
0.022
0.022
18.4
514.3
110.2
0.4
11.2
2.4

consistent flows CCP

CCP
K-18-1807
K-18-1808
1st Stage Injection comp
1st Stage Injection comp
Degassing Tank Vent
Degassing Tank Vent
2
2
2
2
0
0.2
0.04
0.09
0.22
0.09
0.022
0.022
17.1
24.9
0.4
0.5

with BP’s results

CCP K-18-1813 1st Stage Injection comp Degassing Tank Vent 2 2 0.54 0.64 0.65 0.022 120.0 2.6
2nd Stage Injection
CCP K-18-1809 comp Degassing Tank Vent 2 2 0.54 0.42 0.29 0.022 82.0 1.8
2nd Stage Injection
from before the CCP K-18-1810 comp
2nd Stage Injection
Degassing Tank Vent 2 2 1.17 0.46 0.34 0.022 129.2 2.8

CCP K-18-1811 comp Degassing Tank Vent 2 2 1.44 1.38 0.59 0.022 223.7 4.9
study CCP K-18-1812
2nd Stage Injection
comp Degassing Tank Vent 2 2 0.38 0.43 0.4 0.022 79.4 1.7

CGF K-19-1802A/B Booster #2 Degassing Tank Vent 2 3 0.26 0.31 0.93 0.049 98.4 4.8
CGF K-19-1802A/B Second vent Degassing Tank Vent 3 0.36 0.25 0.82 0.049 93.8 4.6
9.4
CGF K-19-1805 MI Compressor Degassing Tank Vent 2 2 0.49 0.4 0.38 0.022 83.3 1.8
CGF K-19-1805 Second vent Degassing Tank Vent 2 9.98 9.55 9.77 0.022 1922.1 42.0
43.8
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CCP Compressor Vent Measurement

9
FLIR Camera Verification

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Applicability/Benefits
PROJECT SUMMARY: CAPTURE AND USE OF SEAL
OIL DEGASSING EMISSIONS
Investment includes cost of:
Operating ▪ Centrifugal compressor with seal oil
Intermediate degassing drum Requirements system
(“sour seal oil trap”) ▪ Nearby use for fuel gas or recycle
New piping ▪ New intermediate pressure flash
drum, fuel filter, pressure regulator
Gas demister/filter
Pressure regulator for fuel gas line
Project summary: Capital & Installation $22,0001
Less expensive capital costs Costs
compared to dry seal retrofit Annual Labor & Minimal
($250,000 - $1 million – dry seal Maintenance Costs
retrofit)
Less down-time compared to dry Gas saved
~100 MMSCF/Year (2 seals @ 108
scf/min each)
seal retrofit
Prevents most seal oil gas Gas Price per mscf $2.5 $3.0 $3.5
emissions from venting to Value of Gas Saved $250,000 $300,000 $350,000
atmosphere while also improving
site efficiency Payback Period in
1 <1 <1
Months
Positive cash flow after less than a
1Assuming
month a typical seal oil flow rate of 14.20
liters/minute (3.75 gallons/minute) (Source: EPA)
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Contact Information
For further details, direct questions to:

Suzie Waltzer Reid Smith

EPA Natural Gas STAR Program BP
[email protected] [email protected]
+1 (202) 343-9544 +1 (281) 384-3583

Don Robinson
ICF International
[email protected]
+1 (703) 218-2512

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