Operational analysis and control of three-phase separation in the sweet wet gas conditioning system at the Burgos gas processing complex in Reynosa, Tamaulipas

The Burgos Basin, Mexico's most important non-associated natural gas reservoir, supplies a significant proportion of the country's gas demand. Within this region, the Burgos Gas Processing Complex plays a key role in conditioning sweet wet gas before cryogenic processing. This study evaluates the operational performance of three-phase horizontal separators (TA-206, TA-207, and TA-208) under varying temperature and pressure scenarios, including winter conditions characteristic of northeastern Mexico. Design parameters were contrasted with actual operating conditions through analytical calculations and Aspen HYSYS® simulations. Results showed that under low-temperature scenarios (10 °C), liquid loads reached 5515.25 BPD, remaining below the design capacity of 8698.03 BPD, while maintaining gas velocities under the 6 ft/s limit. Retention times for both aqueous and hydrocarbon phases exceeded the flotation and settling times, ensuring effective phase separation. Phase envelope analysis confirmed that even at the lower temperature considered, the outlet gas stream met dryness specifications, supporting stable downstream cryogenic plant operation. These findings demonstrate that the combined use of analytical evaluation and phase behavior analysis provides a robust assessment of separators performance across a wide range of real operating conditions, highlighting their reliability under seasonal thermal variability. All operating variables are reported using industry-standard units commonly applied in natural gas processing.