Midstream

Industry Definitions

Definitions of words and terms used in the gas processing industry.
For questions regarding incorrect/outdated entries or suggestion for adding additional terms, please contact Martin Erne

Term
Definition
gas turbine

An engine in which a gaseous fluid, under pressure or formed by combustion, is directed against a series of blades which converts the energy in the expanding gas into rotary motion.

gas well

A drilled and cased bore which facilitates the production of the hydrocarbon contents of a gas reservoir.

gas-cap gas

The gas produced in the natural gas zone above the oil zone in a reservoir.

gas-oil ratio

The ratio of gas to liquid hydrocarbon commonly expressed as cubic feet per barrel, with both volumes corrected to standard conditions.

gas-well gas

The hydrocarbon vapor produced or separated at surface conditions from the full well stream produced from a gas reservoir.

gas-well liquids

The hydrocarbon liquid separated at surface conditions from the full well stream produced from a gas reservoir.

gasoline

A volatile hydrocarbon product which by its composition is suitable for use as a fuel in spark-ignition internal combustion engines.

gathering system

The network of pipelines which carries hydrocarbon production from wells to processing plants or other facilities.

glycol

An alcohol, containing two hydroxyl radicals, used to dehydrate gaseous or liquid hydrocarbons or to inhibit the formation of hydrates.

gravitometer

A device for measuring the relative densities (specific gravities) of solids, liquids or gases at a given temperature and pressure.

gravity, API

An inverse measure that is used to determine the density of petroleum products in comparison to water.

heat exchanger

Equipment used to transfer thermal energy between two or more fluids during cooling or heating processes.

heat medium

A fluid used for conveying heat from a heat source to heat dissipating devices.

heating value

A term used to describe the thermal energy content of a fuel.

hot carbonate process

The formation of a solid material through the combination of hydrocarbons and water under certain pressure and temperature conditions.

hydrate

An ice-like structure, or "clathrate", consisting of twenty or more water molecules that capture in a caged structure hydrocarbon molecules which are formed at high pressure and low temperature.

hydrate off

The shutting down or shutting in of a well or pipeline due to ice-like structures being formed.

hydrogen sulfide (H2S)

An extremely poisonous, flammable gas with a readily noticable odor in small concentrations. When combined with water it can be highly corrosive.

ideal gas (also called "perfect" gas)

A gas where properties are calculated based on the assumption the molecules do not interact with each other.

immiscible

A liquid or solid that is incapable of mixing or attaining homogeneity with another substance.

incinerator

Flame fired equipment which combusts subtances and converts to ash, gas, and heat.

indirect heater

Equipment in which heat from a primary source, usually the combustion of fuel, is transferred to a fluid or solid which then acts as the heating medium.

inerts

An element or compound where a chemical reaction is not anticipated with the surrounding environment and is not combustible.

inflammable

This means the same thing as "flammable". It means something is "capable of being inflamed", not that something is "not flammable".

injection gas

The vapor phase fluid forced by pressure into a producing formation to increase the rate of production or reduce the rate of decline of the reservoir pressure.