Petro-Canada Ethane Extraction Facility

As an industry leader in gas processing technology, Fluor was selected by Petro-Canada to replace an existing cold oil absorption plant with a single-train turbo-expander facility. Fluor provided engineering, procurement and construction services for the project. The scope of work also required development of utilities and offsites along with the integration with existing facilities.

At the time of construction, the Empress site would be the largest of its kind. The plant was designed to process 1,800 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas. Natural gas liquids recovery at the plant is 27,000 barrels per stream day (BPSD) of ethane and 20,000 BPSD of propane-plus.

Client's Challenge

Petro-Canada invested significant resources to commercialize new technology in this large-scale complex. The project involved deployment of state-of-the-art process equipment.

Fluor's Solution

The facility involved complex brazed aluminum core exchangers. The exchangers, which handle five different streams simultaneously, were designed to achieve maximum thermodynamic efficiency.

Other equipment used in the project included 7,000 BPSD turbo-exchangers and two 30,000 BPSD gas turbine compressor trains. Front end chilling, fractionation and ethane and propane refrigeration trains were added.

Conclusion

The ethane extraction facility was completed on-time and on-budget.