ADSORPTION AS A METHOD OF INCREASING THE METHANE NUMBER OF ASSOCIATED PETROLEUM GAS: A REVIEW OF TECHNOLOGIES AND ADSORBENTS

Most of the associated petroleum gas produced is disposed of through combustion, which contributes to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and worsens the environmental situation. However, the low methane content of associated petroleum gas does not allow it to be used as fuel for gas turbine engines due to its low detonation resistance, therefore, methane homologues must be removed from the gas. The adsorption process makes it possible to extract higher hydrocarbons from APG, which are the raw materials for petrochemistry, and obtain fuel with a high methane content. In this paper, existing technologies and adsorbents used to increase the methane number of associated petroleum gas are considered. Various types of adsorption technologies and adsorbers are considered, their advantages and disadvantages are compared. Special attention is paid to the types of adsorbents, and comparative characteristics of each type are given. In addition, the theoretical models of adsorption used for the calculation and analysis of adsorption processes are described in detail, as well as the specifics of choosing the appropriate model for specific tasks.