Associated gas is considered to be by-products formed during the production of oil.It is a mixture of mineral and hydrocarbon compounds, which highlights the "black gold".The main difficulties are caused by the lack of its use in mining areas of processing and transport infrastructure, major local consumers.Therefore, until recently, the associated gas is usually flared, polluting the environment.Moreover, due to the fact that it is composed of ethane, propane, methane, butane, isobutane and non-hydrocarbon gases, hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen sulfide, hardwood dust, combustion products cause a number of serious diseases.However, the tightening of laws in the countries of the former Soviet Union put the mining industry in virtually uncontested situation - utilization of associated gas should take place with the obligatory power generation or with additional purification and fed into the mains network.In economic terms, the most appropriate is the first option, the second makes sense if consumers will be at a relatively short distance.
also associated gas can be used as a fuel for internal combustion engines.However, in this case there are certain constraints.In particular, associated gas requires some preparation to be used, since it contains hydrocarbons with little methane number, which cause detonation.In addition, it contains the aggressive sulfur containing corrosive substances and the rapid oxidation of the oil.
Natural and associated gas today are competitors, but not in terms of consumer demand, and in terms of access to the unified gas transportation system.Because of its heavy workload and infrastructure monopoly access to it is limited to oil companies.All this is virtually nullifies all the economic benefits that have associated gas, which, in particular, set the zero rate of mineral extraction tax and the cost of production.In this case the price of the gas is low, mainly depends on its composition.If its definition is practically not taken into account the costs of storage and transportation.
The use of gas as a fuel for heat and power production at the site in such a situation is virtually the only way to use it.For this purpose, the following set of required equipment:
- installation of gas (may be fixed for the whole object, composed of modules, the number of which will depend on the number of electric plants);
- gas-piston electric installation;
- block utilization of thermal energy of the engine and exhaust gases;
- terminal for liquid fractions.
design of equipment for gas treatment is carried out depending on the particular composition.Power generators and auxiliary systems can be made both in the block (container) performance, and in the open.Also, the equipment can be placed on the coupling attachment for use as back-up mobile or permanent sources of electric power.
