Hybrid Rotor Compression for Multiphase and Liquids-Rich Wellhead Production Applications
Performer(s)
OsComp Systems Inc. (Cambridge, MA)
Red River Compression
Mertz Energy
Background
Wet gas is becoming an increasingly large and important component of the energy landscape in this country. However, wet gas is considerably more difficult to produce because of the complex separation equipment required at the wellhead in order to use current compression technology. Small producers who own and operate liquid-rich wells are forced to shoulder these equipment costs along with the increased complexity of transporting liquid and gas streams separately. The current technology for operating wet gas wells also creates a number of environmental problems, including fugitive hydrocarbon emissions, large wellhead footprints, and occasional flaring of gas or liquids at the wellhead.
OsComp Systems has developed a novel new compression technology that has the capability to significantly benefit wet gas wellheads, particularly for small producers. OsComp’s compressor combines a novel hybrid rotor geometry with innovative cooling techniques to deliver a compressor capable of accommodating wet gas at high efficiencies and in a small footprint. With OsComp’s compression technology, a multiphase stream can be pumped from the wellhead to a central facility for separation and processing. Eliminating the need for liquid separation at the wellhead eliminates fugitive emissions and allows for significantly smaller wellhead footprints. In addition, OsComp’s wet gas compression system will be cost effective enough that some marginal wellheads which are otherwise uneconomical to produce can continue to operate.
Phase I of this project will involve an R&D project to optimize OsComp’s technology for wet gas wellhead conditions and prove operation in a simulated environment. Phase II will prove the technology through the successful demonstration of a compression skid installed and operated in the field at a small producer’s wellhead. The successful compression of this project will result in a technology with game-changing benefits for both small producers and the environment. Field demonstrations will prove preliminary reliability of the technology with full commercialization to shortly follow.
Project Duration: 1.5 years
