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For questions regarding incorrect/outdated entries or suggestion for adding additional terms, please contact Martin Erne
An acronym for “Basic (or bottom) sediment and water”.
The modern term is S&W, which stands for “Sediment & Water”. Sediment and water are entrained in the oil. At the bottom of the tank lies free water and free sediment.
An inverted cup or pan-like device with a notched or slotted periphery set over a chimney-like connection on a tower tray.
Bubble caps are designed to give intimate contact between the down-flowing liquid and the up-flowing vapors.
The temperature and pressure at which a liquid begins to vaporize.
The bubble point of a pure component liquid is commonly referred to as the boiling point.
A wholesale distributing point for products made from natural gas and petroleum.
LPG is often distributed from a bulk plant to rural homes for heating use.
A paraffinic hydrocarbon compound having the chemical formula C4H10.
The butane stream is often sold to a nearby refinery for blending with gasoline.
A liquefied hydrocarbon consisting predominately of butane and/or butylenes which is of marketable quality.
Likely conforms to the GPA specification for commercial butane defined in GPA Publication 2140.
A liquefied hydrocarbon consisting predominately of normal butane and isobutane which is produced at a gas processing plant.
Also called "mixed butane."
A paraffin hydrocarbon compound having the chemical formula C4H10 and having all its carbon atoms joined in a straight chain.
In commercial transactions, a product meeting the GPA specification for commercial butane and, in addition, containing a minimum of 95 liquid volume percent normal butane.
An olefin hydrocarbon compound having the chemical formula C4H8.
Commonly referred to as butene.
A valve which permits flow around a process, system, or piece of equipment.
The bypass valve was opened to pressurize the downstream equipment before opening the main valve.
The amount of heat produced by the combustion of a quantity of material.
The calorific value is often obtained by burning the sample in a controlled experiment. See Heating Value for clarification.
An apparatus which is used to determine experimentally the heating value of a combustible material.
A calorimeter was used to determine the heating value for a flaring operation.
Extremely fine particles of almost pure amorphous carbon usually produced from gaseous or liquid hydrocarbons.
The plant still produces carbon black for the production of tires.
A colorless gas having the formula CO2.
When in its solid state, it carbon dioxide is commonly called "dry ice", and can be formed in the top portion of a demethanizer.
A chemical compound having the formula COS, a member of the aldehyde groups containing a carbonyl group and sulfur.
It is a contaminant in liquid hydrocarbons, usually removed to meet sulfur specifications. COS combined with oxygen can produce a slow reaction in the pipeline can form CO2 and elemental sulfur. When combined with water, it can slowly form CO2 and H2S.
An upset condition where liquids or solids are present in a separator overhead stream.
The carryover caused equipment failure at the compressor facility.
The natural gas that collects in the annular space between the casing and the tubing in oil wells.
Casinghead gas can be used as fuel for heater treaters and other equipment on the lease.
A contract relating to the purchase and sale of casinghead gas.
The casinghead gas contract limited the amount of gas to be used on the lease per day.
A substance which promotes or alters chemical reactions without itself undergoing a permanent chemical change.
The catalyst in the Claus unit in the gas plant improves the sulfur production and plant product quality.
A vessel holding sodium hydroxide or other alkalis through which a mixture flows for removal of sulfides, mercaptans, or acids.
The propane product was routed through the caustic treater to remove the sulfur contaminants.
A processing installation having two or more sources that provides one or more functions.
Central facilities typically perform functions such as separation, compression, dehydration, treating, gathering and/or delivery of gas & liquids. In the midstream sector, these are often known as central processing facilities.
The non-uniform flow through a portion of a packed bed or tower.
When mol sieve have unevenly distributed moisture, it can cause channeling inside the dehy that doesn't expose the gas well enough to the mole sieve to dry it out.
A type of humidity measurement technique that uses a refrigerated surface to measure the dew point temperature of a gas.
When the stain tube measurement indicated the gas was not within specification for water content, a chilled mirror test was performed to determine the water content.
An alternative name for a heat exchanger which cools process fluids with a refrigerant.
Natural gas runs through a propane chiller in a gas plant before entering separation.
A recording of the electrical signal over time from a gas chromatograph detector.
After reviewing the chromatogram, the analyst realized certain peaks for components of interest were not adequately separated.
