Problems associated with conventional natural gas processing and some innovative solutions

On the way from well to the final user, natural gas is treated for various purposes. A typical natural gas stream is a mixture of methane and other hydrocarbons, water vapor, oil and condensates, hydrogen sulfides, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, some other gases, and solid particles. Synthetic chemicals such as glycols, amines, synthetic membranes, and some other adsorbents are used for removing these impurities from the natural gas. In this article, various gas processing methods and toxic chemicals used for gas refining are reviewed. Pathways of these chemicals used in gas processing along with their impacts to humans and the environment are presented. Some prospective natural materials for natural gas processing are also proposed.