Uncover optimization opportunities in shale gas processing

J. McTasney, Rockwell Automation, Dallas, Texas The shale boom unleashed a flurry of new construction of gas processing plants in the US. With it came a major surge in gas processing capacity: from 77 Bcfd in 2009,1 to 83 Bcfd in 2013, to an estimated 95 Bcfd in 2017.2 Now, with high capacity and a lull in oil prices, construction has slowed substantially. Focus is shifting from building new plants to the long-term operation of recently built facilities. In particular, a desire exists to identify and capitalize on optimization opportunities that can boost plant productivity and maximize profitability (Fig. 1). However, knowing how to seize such opportunities first requires an understanding