EVALUASI KINERJA METHYL DIETHANOL AMINE (MDEA) DALAM PENYERAPAN KANDUNGAN H2S PADA PROSES PENGOLAHAN GAS ALAM

Abstract

Drilling natural gas contains water vapor (H₂O) and contaminant gases such as CO₂ and H₂S which must be removed because it reduced the calorie value of the product. H₂S gas is also corrosive, easily damaging equipment so that it increased maintenance costs. The process of removing CO₂ and H₂S gas uses MDEA (methyl diethanolamine). This study aims to determine the optimal concentration and flow rate of absorbent methyl diethanolamine (MDEA) to absorb H₂S in the plant I gas flow in Energy Equity Epic (Sengkang) Pty.Ltd. The study was carried out with a steady MDEA mix absorbent flow rate (50% pure amine and 50% demineralization water) fixed at 13 US Gallons per minute flowing continuously at the upper absorber inlet, sour gas flow rate, at the bottom of the absorber inlet with variations in the flow gas namely 7,9,11,13,15,17 MMSCFD and is contacted with amine solution counter-current. Purified natural gas (sweet gas) produced from the top absorber column outlet with an H₂S content below 10 ppm. The results showed that the greater the flow rate of gas inlet, the greater the acid gas absorbed. The  amount  of gas  entering and  exiting gas follows the  equation        y = 0.003 x - 2.2537. The ability of the amine solution to absorb H₂S follows the logarithmic equation y = 0.167 ln (x) + 101.02 with a value of R = 0.9857, y is H₂S absorbed by the amine solution and x is the H₂S rate.