Optimal design and synthesis of shale gas processing and NGLs recovery process

The past decades have witnessed the fast development of the global shale gas industry. It is predicted that shale gas production will be substantially expanded in the future, resulting in a need for additional facilities to absorb the burgeoning supplies of shale gas [1]. As midstream infrastructure in the shale gas value chain, shale gas processing plants separate valuable constituents, such as natural gas liquids (NGL), from raw shale gas feedstocks, and remove the undesired constituents to meet product specifications in the downstream distribution network. Multiple technology alternatives have been developed for various separation operations in a shale gas processing plant, but the optimal extent of constituent separation and removal, as well as the best technology selection and operation strategy has not been determined for the entire shale gas processing and NGLs recovery. Moreover, sustainability has emerged as a critical consideration in the design and synthesis of energy systems [2]. Therefore, it is worth research effort to develop sustainable shale gas processing plants that demonstrate the best process economics while minimizing the overall environmental impacts.